Last Kiss
by myazeh
Summary: CHAPTER 10 UP! Draco is dying... he only has a year left to live and no amount of magic can save him. Now Draco promises to change to make his few months of living filled with laughter instead of tears.. will be D/Hr sooner or later.. RR PLS!
1. THE SHOCKING NEWS

**FOR THOSE WHO HAVE READ THIS BEFORE PLEASE READ IT AGAIN. THIS CHAPTER WAS EDITED!**

-Summary: _Draco is dying, he only has a year left to live and no amount of magic can save him. Now Draco promises to change- to make his few months of living filled with laughter instead of tears. Will be D/Hr, sooner or later. R&r please._

* * *

Title: Last Kiss

By: mya14

Chapter 1: The Shocking News

"Mother! What are we doing here? This is a Muggle hospital!" 16-year old Draco Malfoy asked Narcissa, while trying to get away from her at the same time. Narcissa, with a determined look on her face was dragging him through the hospital towards a door with a sign hanging on it that read "Dr. Simms' Office."  
"What are we doing here?" Draco stomped his feet. "Will you just shut up for once!" Narcissa snapped. "And please don't ask too many questions, I can't concentrate!" Her voice lost all anger and irritation, and she simply sounded scared, scared of what might happen to Draco. When they finally reached the office, Narcissa knocked sharply on the door, and someone called from inside, telling her to "come in, the door's open.".  
With shaking hands Narcissa pushed the door open and she and Draco entered the room.

"Mrs. Malfoy! Draco! Come in!" A man with sparse hair on his head, and a white Muggle doctor's coat on his body motioned for them to sit down on two chairs in front of his desk. " Okay.." Dr. Simms said as he took his seat. "What brings you both here?" He looked from Draco, who was rather pale, to Narcissa, who was shaking.  
"W-well…" Narcissa started to speak, her voice a little shaky. "Dr. Agushen t-told me to sh-show you…" She fumbled inside her purse for a parchment and handed it to Dr. Simms with a worried look in her usually cold eyes. "-this." she finished.  
The doctor took the parchment in his old hands and began to scan the official-looking lines. "The findings were…" The doctor continued reading, nodding his head every now and then. "And then the results were… What?"  
He shot an alarmed look at Narcissa, who was sitting rigidly in her chair. "Is this yours?" Narcissa shook her head.  
"Whose is this then?" Dr. Simms asked urgently, and a tear fell from Narcissa's eyes. "Draco's."

"Huh? Wait… what's happening?" Draco asked confusedly, as Dr. Simms immediately began examining him, checking his pulse, his tongue, ears, temperature… It was strange because he just had a check up with Dr. Agushen.  
"What are you doing? Back off, you- you Muggle… Mudblood!" Draco shouted. "Sorry, I can't back off and I'm not a Mudblood! I'm a pure-blooded wizard, so there's no reason to call me names. The reason you're here… well, I'm the only wizard who knows the Muggle's medical customs and based on Dr. Agushen your case is horrible! So horrible…" Dr. Simms said as he continued examining Draco. "So behave yourself!" he said sternly.  
Draco frowned angrily. "What is that supposed to mean? Dr. Agushen is one of the best mediwizards ever… and why did he recommend me to this… Dr. Simms?" Thousands of other questions were swirling around Draco's head, but he just couldn't seem to ask any of them.  
"Lie down!" Dr. Simms commanded. Draco grudgingly obeyed, lying down on the hard, white bed behind the desk. "Okay, be still, this is going to sting a bit…" Dr. Simms rummaged around in his coat pocket, and brought out a large syringe. Draco immediately sat up, the blood draining from his face. "Oh no… you are not sticking that bloody thing in me… you're crazy… I'm getting out of here." _"I can't believe Muggles examine their patients like that!"_ He thought angrily as he hauled himself off the bed.  
Behind him, Dr. Simms sighed and pulled out his wand. "You asked for it…_Slipitus Anesthasius!_" he shouted.

Draco felt his body going numb… he was getting drowsy, and he couldn't seem to keep his eyelids open. The brightly lit office was getting dimmer and dimmer… he could feel himself sliding down to the floor…

Moments later Draco woke up. He felt very tired and his eyelids were still heavy. He blinked, lazily sitting up and glancing around at his surroundings.  
He was still in the Muggle hospital, but he was now in a private room. He looked around then he realized there was a plastic container full of liquid beside him, it has a long tube which was connected to his veins. Draco tugged gently at the tube, and a pricking feeling in his hand made him drop it.  
"What's this? Why is it here? Why am _I _here?" Draco felt the beginnings of panic. Just then the door opened.

Dr. Simms came in with Narcissa Malfoy and this time Narcissa was really crying. Draco looked up.

"Why are you crying, Mother?" Draco asked Narcissa gently. Suddenly, she rushed forward and hugged Draco tight. "Why does it have to be you…" She whispered. Draco felt his mother's tears as warm dampness on his shoulders. "I love you so much…"

Draco felt strange... it's not that his mother never told him she loved him but it was not like her to say that when someone was watching them and it was in public, which made it feel so unusual. Unsure of what to say or do, he whispered back into his mother's ear. "I love you too..."  
Narcissa pulled away and wiped her tears away. "We have to tell you something." She said as another tear slid down her cheek. Dr. Simms took out his wand, muttered something and the dextrose that was connected to Draco's veins disappeared.  
Narcissa looked at Dr. Simms meaningfully, as if she was signaling him to speak. Dr. Simms nodded reassuringly at her, then he turned to Draco. "Well… Draco…" Dr. Simms began. He paused and took a deep breath, his face looked so sad, his news was obviously going to be terrible.  
Draco stared up at them. "Well?"

The doctor looked away. "You're dying…" he said softly as he breathed out.

Then, there was silence. It took Draco a while before he understood what Dr. Simms had just said. _"It can't be true."_ He thought. _"It's a joke!"_  
Draco laughed out loud. "Good one Doctor!" I almost fell for that!" He laughed again, coldly, mocking. His mother looked at him, and spoke.

"It's true Draco…" His mother whispered, "and there's nothing we can do." Draco stopped laughing and looked at his mother, she was crying so hard. He could see it in her eyes, all the pain he was causing her, he can see in her eyes that she was telling the truth, he can see in her eyes how much she loved her son, in her eyes he could see how much it hurts her that Draco was dying, her only son, the only person who cared for her more than anyone else in this world.

Draco had no idea what to do. Part of him said that it was true, how could his mother be crying so hard? But he simply refused to believe it. _"No, this just can't be true. They haven't even told me why… or how…"_  
He glared up at Dr. Simms. "How could this happen? This is impossible… I'm perfectly fine!" His voice was getting louder, shaking with anger. "No! You're not healthy!" Dr. Simms raised his voice. "Look at you! Just look at you, you're so pale!"  
"No, no no! It's impossible. You don't even want to tell me why you're making all this fuss over me." He looked at his mother, who was crying into her handkerchief. "You're wasting your tears." Something was prickling at the back of his eyes… _tears_… Draco realized. _No, I won't cry. I can't, not until I found out if I'm really "dying", or if this is all some kind of joke._  
Narcissa and the doctor stared at Draco, unsure of what to say to his unbelief. Draco glared at them, and spoke, mockingly, still treating this all as a joke. "How much time do I have left… doctor?"  
The doctor's face fell. "A year, but I don't know exactly when… Draco, there can still be a chance that you might get well so please don't lose hope. But, if it's really your time, please, use this year wisely. In this one year, you may be able to finish Hogwarts 6th year, and also…" Dr. Simms sighed. "One year is enough to make your mistakes right, enough to make your life meaningful, enough time to think, enough time to do all the things you want to do and-"

"What?" Draco asked him, surprised that the doctor actually took his mocking question seriously. "One year is enough to make it up to the ones you love…"

Draco felt nothing but an overwhelming of shallow annoyance and anger. _"What kind of fool do they think I am?"_ He stood up from the table and ran out of the room. "I need some time alone." He ran out of the Muggle hospital, onto the unfamiliar streets, simply wanting to get away from all the confusion and annoying lies that they were telling him.

* * *

It was the same day, a beautiful Monday afternoon.

Hermione Granger sat at her desk, writing a letter to Ron and Harry, explaining why she wouldn't be able to come around to the Burrow that summer. Her parents wanted her to stay and spend more time with them, as she was already beginning her sixth year at Hogwarts. Hermione, because she missed her parents so much, didn't argue, and she did agree to stay.  
_"It's been a while…" She thought as she stared around at her small but very comfortable room. She had missed the place so much. It hadn't changed a bit, it was just the way she liked it. She had missed everything in her Muggle life, her parents, old neighbors and friends, her room, her house. "It is beautiful." She thought, contented and happy._  
She sighed as she wrote the finishing touches to her letter, and finally signing her name. Hermione stood up and stretched her arms... she was a bit sleepy, but when she heard a tap in the window, she jumped up and went to unlock it.

"Good timing!" she said to Hedwig as she removed the letter Hedwig had brought. She pocketed the letter to read later, and then tied her own letter to Hedwig's leg. She patted the owl, and soon it had flown out of sight.

Yawning, Hermione made her way to her bed, and was just about to lie down for a doze when her mother suddenly called to her from downstairs. "Hermione!" her mother called out from downstairs. "Do you mind if I ask you run an errand for me?"  
Hermione sighed again. "Okay! I'm coming down!" she shouted back. She pulled on her sandals and went down the stairs, the letter still in her pocket.

Draco was still walking briskly along the roads, angrily trying to escape from the muddling thoughts in his head. He just couldn't take it all, he couldn't believe it. "_Why of all people why does it have to be me? Why of all people, does my mum suddenly go crazy and starts telling me I've got one year to live? I mean, is it even true?"_ He asked himself, frowning, and bumping into Muggles without even stopping to apologize to them.  
"_What is this? The payback of all the things I've done or is it really my time? Or is this all one big, stupid joke?" _He was going crazy… he needed someone to talk to. Draco just couldn't handle all the questions on his own.  
He needed someone, but there was no one to talk to at all, who could understand? Even if Crabbe and Goyle were there, they still couldn't help him, they were just too slow.  
Draco continued stalking down the busy streets, angrily pushing people aside. _"I am so pathetic…" _He thought. _"I am so pathetic."_

* * *

"Flour… sugar… and syrup." Hermione placed the three ingredients in front the cashier. The girl rang up the purchases, accepted the money Hermione held out, and waved goodbye as Hermione walked out the door with her shopping bags in her arms.  
Hermione yawned... she was really sleepy now. _"I could go home and read my letter now… I wonder what Ron and Harry are doing."_ She thought, walking down the street. _"Maybe they're having fun right now."_ She sighed… she missed them both.

On her way home, Hermione decided to take a shortcut so she can rest and read her letter. Just then, when she was about to turn the corner, someone who was walking so fast and didn't see her collided with her and they both fell onto the grass with identical angry gasps of surprise.  
"Ouch! Watch where you're going! Next time, would you please be more… Malfoy?" Hermione stared at him. Draco stood up and pulled Hermione up. He grabbed her spilled groceries and pushed them at her, avoiding her eyes. "I didn't see you, and you should watch where you're going, too." He growled, anger in his face. "Watch it." And he walked away.

Hermione stood there, shocked. "What's his problem? I've never seen him that angry!" She thought. "He must be really off his rocker, he actually helped me up…" Hermione frowned. "Oh, well. Strange as he is, I haven't seen him this strange yet." Similar thoughts chased each other around her head as she continued to walk home.

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A/N: Sorry guys, I have to end this chapter right here. Hope you enjoyed the first chapter. J Please leave a review. No flames.

Btw, this chapter is dedicated to Archangela. Thank you for beta-reading this chapter. You've been a great help. J

Mya


	2. realization

Summary: Draco is dying… he only has a year left to live and no amount of magic can save him… Now Draco promises to change-to make his few months of living be filled with laughter instead of tears... D/Hr sooner or later.

A/N: Hi everyone! It's been a while. I'm really sorry for letting you wait for so long. I had a lot of deadlines so I really had a hard time squeezing all this writing in my schedule. Anyway, thank you for all the wonderful reviews… even the bad ones. I'm not sure if I made it clear in my previous chapter but I would really appreciate it if I'm not bombarded with harsh comments. So yeah, before you read the next chapter, let me just point out that I have a strict **NO FLAMES** policy.

FYI. I changed the previous chapter, so if you read it before, please read it again.

One more thing, let me just clarify some things:

1. Yes. It was deliberate that Draco's in a muggle hospital. Why? Because Narcissa is **DESPERATE**. Even the best mediwizards can't do anything anymore that's why they suggested her to bring Draco to a wizard who is a practicing "muggle doctor". It's a desperate move if you ask me.

2. So you're curious about Draco's 'mysterious' illness… Let me shutdown all your assumptions, it's not something common. All I can reveal for now is that it's a very rare disease that has no cure.

3. Like I said, I'm not fond of flamers. I'm not 12 years old. Sorry to disappoint. I know I'm not a great writer or anything, so forgive me if I have grammatical mistakes every now and then. English is **not** my native tongue so I'd appreciate it if flamers would get off my back once in a while, okay? I'm not perfect. If the story displeases you in some way, **STOP READING**. J It's that simple.

4. I dedicate this chapter to my sister who helped me jumpstart this chapter.

Okay enough with the author's note. **ENJOY**.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I wish I did, but yeah… sadly I don't so all credits go to J.K. What I do own, however, is the plot of this story.

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Chapter 2: Realization

After several hours of walking in the unfamiliar streets of London, bumping every person that obstructed his way, Draco Malfoy finally decided to go home, now that he finally calmed down from all the drama his mother and Dr. Simms had caused him. Draco waved his wand in the air, deciding by instinct to use the Knight Bus to take him home. For some reason, the stress of what transpired earlier, weighed down on him heavily, causing him to feel kind of queasy. He silently waited for his turn, and decided to rest on one of the beds in the bus. He lay down the bed, closed his eyes and started dozing off when the driver suddenly took a sharp turn, causing everyone, including Draco, to fall harshly off their beds.

_"Ouch!" _Draco shouted in pain. "_I'll never ever ride the knight bus again!"_ he thought angrily. _"Reckless driver!"_

Draco opted to sit on the bed instead of lying down again. He felt really tired and sick. He wanted to rest. He sighed heavily and checked his watch; it read 8:00 PM. He peered outside and couldn't make out any images because of the pitch-black darkness. He waited awkwardly, doing absolutely nothing when finally…

"The Malfoy Manor! " said the driver.

_"Finally!"_ he rushed to the door hastily and left the knight bus without even giving it a second look. He couldn't take it anymore, he was really dizzy from the ride and now he felt kind of nauseous.

He slowly reached for the knob of his house and clumsily opened the door. He planned to lock himself up in his room as discreetly as possible; so without making any racket, he climbed up the stairs, took a short turn and moved passed portrait after portrait until he reached his room. He was about to enter when suddenly; he heard a loud sob coming from the next room. _"Oh Please!"_ he thought irritably. All the anger and the overwhelming annoyance started flaring up again.

He went barging in to where his mother usually sat in the portrait room and irritatingly shouted at her. "Will you stop that?" Narcissa looked up, startled to see his son again. Draco gave her a piercing look, "I'm perfectly fine! That Dr. Simms is full of rubbish! Stop crying!"

Narcissa bowed her head in defeat; her eyes were so red and puffy it was obvious she'd been crying ever since the doctor's visit. She slowly wiped a stray tear, "I just can't take it! I don't know how to tell your father about this. What will happen to me when… when you're gone?"

"Oh please! Just stop it! I'm not dying, alright?" Draco said irritated. Narcissa stood up and hugged Draco tightly.

_"Not again!"_ he thought while rolling his eyes in irritation. He shoved his mother away from him and took a step back, "Mother, please stop this nonsense. I'm not dying! Not today, not tomorrow, not in the next few months and most definitely, not in the next few years!"

At his words, Narcissa cried even louder and numbly sat on the expensive-looking sofa, her hands covering her face. Draco rolled his eyes again, his mother was definitely pushing it way too further and he was tired of all her sobbing. He knew in his heart she was over reacting. _"I'm out of here!"_ he thought as he turned his back to her. He hurriedly went straight to his room and with all his strength, banged the door shut.

Narcissa just sat there, motionless. She slowly removed her hands from her face and watched as tiny drops of tears fall to her lap, _"You keep saying you'll stay with me forever but you can't really assure me that, Draco." _Another round of tears fell from her eyes, _"I want to believe you, but I can't."_

* * *

Hermione was lying in bed, staring blankly at her ceiling. A lot of thoughts were swirling in her brain making her unable to concentrate. She kept thinking of her weird encounter with Malfoy and as much as she hated to admit it, she felt a bit worried about him. Like a puzzle, she wanted to figure him out. She knew something was off but she couldn't put a finger on it. No matter what she did, she just can't get Malfoy's facial expression out of her head. She sighed heavily. She sat up and shook her head to fix her muddled thoughts. She slowly got out of bed, stretched her arms and remembered suddenly that she hadn't read her letter. She immediately got her mail out of her pocket and opened the folded parchment.

_Dear Hermione,_

_I have good news! Starting next summer, I'll be emancipated from the Dursleys! I never felt so happy in my life! Everything's finally falling into place. I don't know if you've heard but Sirius got cleared from all criminal charges after that funny incident where wormtail got jinxed while transforming. Who would've thought, right? It's just funny how he accidentally showed himself to the public! (Pure stupidity if you ask me – Ron)_

_Anyhow, we have some news about the Malfoys. According to our sources, Lucius Malfoy aggressively wants to get out of jail soon. Some people were saying he's worried about some affairs at home. If you ask me, I think it's just a ploy. Everything seems cooked to me considering he's winning the case even if all the evidence lead otherwise. Can you believe that? His name will be cleared again and then that stupid son of his will – _Hermione then notice the sudden change of handwriting, clearly it was continued by Ron's messy scrawl – _Yeah, his son will ruin the fun out of everything! Remember what he did last time? I bet he'll do it again! I'll never forgive that crazy… that… that stupid son of a bi – The handwriting changed yet again to Harry's – you get the idea. Ron couldn't help but write in here, too. (You bet! I'll never forgive Malfoy! – Ron) I better end this letter before Ron magically destroys it out of anger. We miss you! See you when I see you! Take care of yourself!_

_Harry (oh, and Ron, too.)_

Hermione smiled as she closed her letter. She was really happy for Harry, she always wanted him to have a home and now that he'll be living with Sirius, she doesn't have to worry about him anymore. She stared at the letter in her hand and remembered Malfoy's worried face. Hermione wondered if it was because of his father's case that made him so shaken up. She contemplated on that idea for a bit, and when it dawned on her that she's thinking about Malfoy again, she shook her head in frustration. She took a deep breath and decided not to worry about stupid things. She then went out of her room and decided to help her mother make dinner.

* * *

Draco was sitting in his black velvet sofa, in his cold dimmed lighted room just in front of the fireplace, feeling perfectly normal. He was reading the latest copy of the daily prophet and his father; Lucius was on the front news just like any other day.

He rolled his eyes as he watched his father's picture objecting and defending himself. "What a waste! He'll always win no matter what," he tossed his copy of the daily prophet on his table, feeling a bit apathetic.

Suddenly, just as he was about to stand up, he felt something piercing in his abdomen. Draco ignored it, thinking it was just a common stomachache. He then sat comfortably and decided to busy himself with a book. He grabbed his copy of _Hexes and Jinxes_, turned it to his desired page and started reading its content. All seemed well, until he felt the pain in his stomach worsen. He dropped his book on the floor and tightly clutched his stomach. He started to sweat as the pain tortured him every second. "Oww—" he moaned uncomfortably. Draco curled up in his sofa like a defenseless little boy. The pain was unbearable. He couldn't speak; he rolled to his side and accidentally fell on the floor. Draco tried to hoist himself up the sofa but failed and fell flat on the floor. He felt like throwing up. So with a lot of effort, Draco willed himself to stand up, ran straight to his bathroom and without any warning or whatsoever, threw up in the sink.

After a few seconds of regaining his strength, he slowly wiped his sweaty face with a towel and stared at his reflection. He examined his face absentmindedly. He looked really pale. He pinched his cheeks to put some color in it, but nothing happened. He felt relieved after throwing up. The pain finally subsided.

Draco left his towel near the sink and was about to leave the bathroom when he suddenly caught sight of the sink. He stopped dead on his tracks. "What the—" he re-entered the bathroom and stared down the sink. "Oh… my… God." He said, shocked. His eyes widen in disbelief. He felt all the blood rush in his face. "I… vomited blood?" he muttered in denial. He slowly analyzed what he just regurgitated and felt traumatized. "I AM really dying…" he muttered slowly as he sat down on the floor, feeling defeated. "I am dying," he repeated. He didn't want to believe it but there's no other explanation but that. He felt a sudden pity for his mother, "I'm dying… and I didn't believe her," he thought, heartbroken. He felt his eyes sting, as images of his young life flashed through his mind, he felt scared and pathetic. "I don't want to die… I'm too young to die."

* * *

Narcissa had finally calmed down. She still felt heavily burdened but somehow, she's done with being in denial. She knew it was inevitable and as Draco's mother, she had to stop wallowing in self-pity if she wanted to help her son get through all of this. She looked at one of the portraits in the room; it was of her, Lucius and a 7-year old Draco, laughing together in the garden. It was the only portrait that made them looked like a real family. It was her most favorite portrait; she knew that if there was one time she'd like to repeat, it was that day.

She stared lovingly at the portrait when she suddenly heard Draco come out of his room. She immediately tried to rearrange her features so that she wouldn't look like a mess like she did earlier. She looked at the door and waited as Draco approached the room.

Draco slowly entered the room, his eyes red. Narcissa immediately stood up, shocked. She rushed towards him and reached for his face, her eyes started welling up again.

"Mum…" he said softly.

Narcissa hugged her son tightly, "Draco…"

He hugged her back with all the strength he could muster, "Mum, I'm sorry for not believing you. I don't know what to do… I'm not ready to die…" he whispered, sobbing. Narcissa hugged him tighter. "I just… I don't know… mum, is there something we can do? I'm… I'm scared." Narcissa patted Draco's back gently, "I don't know if there's something we can do…" she held on him tighter, "but I'll do my damn best to find a cure for you." A soft sob escaped her throat and she closed her eyes, wanting to remove her son's burden for him. "I'm also not ready to let you go, son. It's too soon."

* * *

A/N: R/R please


	3. Strange dreams, pain, and trip back to H...

A/N: Hi, all! It's been a while. Sorry for not updating soon. Thanks for all the reviews. I've been a bit busy for the past few months so I wasn't able to write anything for a while. I hope this chapter makes up a month's worth of promises. Anyway, I have other stories as well, so please do check it out if you have time! By the way, Draco will be a weeee bit OOC (out of character) so bear with me!

Disclaimer: as always…. I don't own anything! Except of course, the plot!

Summary: Draco is dying… he only has a year left to live and no amount of magic can save him… Now Draco promises to change-to make his few months of living be filled with laughter instead of tears... D/Hr sooner or later…

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Chapter 3: Strange Dreams, Pains and trip back to Hogwarts…

* * *

_The air was cold and misty in the freshly mowed cemetery. Everybody Hermione knew was present and all were condoling her. She eyed herself as people beside her stood up and approached a blackish blue casket. She was wearing a very beautiful white dress that ended right above her knees and a very simple, yet very beautiful silver chain necklace hung on her neck. She looked down on her lap and found herself holding a freshly cut, long-stemmed rose. She couldn't look up, she felt hollow inside as she watched a single tear fall on her lap._

"Hermione," Harry called quietly, "It's almost time. You have to say goodbye."

Harry then helped her up but she didn't budge. She just sat there, broken, unmoving.

"You'll regret it if you won't," Harry whispered, sympathetic. "Come on, let's go" He then held out his arm for support but she pulled away. Hermione looked up at him. "I can't do this." She whispered. "I'm not ready to let him go. It's too soon." Hermione covered her face with her hands and sobbed loudly for the first time since it happened. The weight of it all suddenly crashed down on her, making her unable to do what was needed of her. She could feel her heart breaking, painfully. She felt robbed of everything.

_Harry, Ron, Lavender, Parvati, Ginny and many others stood up and approached the casket holding their white roses. Hermione looked up at the sky, tiny drops of rain pelted down her face. "So this is how it's supposed to be, huh?" she thought, questioning the heavens. She felt another tear slid down her face. "In order for you not to suffer anymore, I have to be alone." She slowly looked at the casket, Parvati and Lavender placed their roses inside and went back to their respective seats._

_The rain started to pour heavily, but Hermione didn't bother covering herself up. By that time, everyone except Hermione approached the casket. The service was over._

_A guy who was carrying the casket earlier stood up and held the handle and started closing it… Hermione saw this and stood up almost immediately. _"WAIT! NO! STOP!"_ Hermione shouted, panicking. _"No! PLEASE!"_ Hermione rushed towards the casket, the guy stopped dead and slowly opened the coffin's top and stood aside. Everyone was staring at Hermione as she stood in front of the casket holding her rose._

She felt her heart breaking as she finally caught sight of him. He looked very peaceful. She was choking back tears; there were just a lot of things to say. "I will miss you everyday." She whispered. She felt her legs give way but Harry and Ron caught her. She covered her face with her hands again; _she was now having a hard time breathing. Ron and Harry held Hermione tightly, trying to give her a little bit of strength. _"Hermione, it's time. Let him go…" they whispered quietly.

"NO!" Hermione pleaded as Harry and Ron pulled her away from the coffin. "NO! LET ME GO!"_ Hermione shouted as she saw a regal-looking girl who looked vaguely familiar and the guy who was carrying the casket earlier started closing the lid. _"NOOOOOOO! LET ME GO! NOOOOOOOOOOO!"

* * *

"NOOOOOOOOOO!" Hermione screamed as she sat up straight in bed. She was clutching her chest, her heart racing intensely. Hermione started to breathe in and out to calm herself. She touched her cheeks and felt it wet from tears… She was crying… _"What was that?"_ she muttered to herself questioningly, she then got out of bed and opened her window for fresh air. _"What was that?"_ she repeated to herself as she stared outside her window, it was still dark and the moon was gleaming. It's been 2 months since her last encounter with Malfoy and ever since that day, she started having weird dreams.

She took a deep breath and exhaled the air very slowly. She could still feel her heart pounding painfully fast. She glanced at her bedside table and saw her digital clock saying 4:00 a.m. She sighed. _"It's only a dream,"_ she said firmly to herself. _"But what if it's not?"_

She went to her bookshelf, which was near her desk and started rummaging it. _"Where is it?"_ she asked as she searched book after book. " Transfiguration 3… Hogwarts, A History… Oh! Here it is!" she exclaimed as she stood up and sat down her bed. _"Let's see if this stupid book can give me answers," _Hermione then smoothed the surface of _Unfogging the future_ and opened it into the Table of Contents. "_Dreams… Dreams…. Dreams…_" she muttered as she scanned the contents piece by piece. Finally, after skimming the index of the book, _"There! Page 243 Unraveling dreams!"_ With shaky hands she turned the book to page 243 and was met with a list of weird symbols. She then tried recalling her dream.

_"Blackish blue Casket…"_ She then searched the list, _"white and lilac casket… Bluish marble casket… There! Black-blue casket!" _she then read the page:

_**243**_  
_Black-blue Casket – this speaks of an enemy or a rival who is capable of change. Black represents the past and blue represents the future. The Casket represents a tragedy in love. Scholars interpret this as a fated encounter, one representing ones true love._

Hermione stopped reading. Should she believe this rubbish? She slowly looked back to the list and saw another category:_ 'Friends pulling you away from something important'_ She closed her eyes and tried to remember her dream. She then recalled a similar occurrence; _"Harry and Ron pulled me away from the casket!"_ She read on…

_Friends pulling you away from something important – they appear to be allies but they are walls for progress. Protectors. Be wary though for they may turn against you._

She paused, _"Now this is ridiculous!"_ Hermione thought. "_Harry and Ron will never turn against me."_ She shook her head in disgust. _"This book is definitely rubbish!"_ She tossed the book near her desk but it landed on the floor instead, _Unfogging the future_ still laid open for the whole world to see. Hermione plopped down her bed and stared at her ceiling. She sighed. Her dream felt so real that her heart was still hurting from the pain… _"What the hell was that dream about?_" she muttered quietly. She quickly glanced at her clock, her dream and everything was still swirling in her head like a foggy cloud. She stayed in that position for a couple more minutes before drifting back to sleep…

What she didn't know, the page where her book laid open was the whole meaning of her dream… and it was true… it was real… and it was happening…

* * *

Draco woke up suddenly as he felt an unexplainable pain in his stomach… "Dammit!" He shouted in pain. Beads of sweat started falling down his face. He couldn't move. He felt his whole body numbing. He closed his eyes, hoping… praying that the pain would go away… He just has to fight it or else he couldn't go back to Hogwarts.

He clenched his hands, his nails cutting through his soft palms. The whole room started to spin. "Mum!" he moaned. He felt really sick, again. He then rolled in his bed. "Mum! Help me!" he called helplessly, "Mother!" he shouted once more. The pain started to get worse and even more torturous. _"So this is it, then?"_ he thought as he gritted his teeth in pain. He tried to get up from his bed but fell down.

_"Oww…"_ He moaned. And he started to roll on the floor. Tears he never knew he had burned his eyes. He was alone. Helpless. Pathetic._ "I don't want to live,"_ he suddenly said as he tried to crawl back to his bed. _"Not like this…"_

Then suddenly, when he rolled to his right, the unexplainable pain stopped. Draco stayed still in that position. He felt pitiful. _"I can't go back to Hogwarts,"_ he said quietly. _"Potter, Granger and Weasley will make fun of me." _Another unexpected tear fell down his face. He wiped his face angrily. _"And I'm the only Malfoy other than my mum that cries!"_ He lay flat on his bed now… he stared at the big clock near his door… it was already five in the morning. The Hogwarts express would be leaving at 11. But the question is… would he go back?

* * *

"Hermione are you ready?" Her mother called out as Hermione locked Crookshanks cage.

"Yes, Mother! I'm ready!" She shouted as she carried the cage and her things. "I'm coming down!"

She then walked to the door, looked back and made one last glance to her room… She sighed. "Hogwarts… here I come…" she whispered happily as she picked Unfogging the future on the floor, snapped it shut before tossing it in her bed and leaving the room.

* * *

A/N: Okay, that's chapter 3. It may not be the best, but at least I updated. Sorry for all grammatical mistakes. I have no time to reread and edit this chapter. As usual, NO FLAMES and pease don't forget to leave a review.

**edit: this fanfic was written way before book 5 was released so if things don't mesh with the original, just ignore it.**

Thanks to the ff:  
Crete, ~trix~, Inspiration, Rina, HermiGranger, Sandy, buttercup09, MydogBelle, akue, mushi!mushi!, fOxyness39, SpilledInk, dkissofa, MeriyA, sparkly-glossy-girl, CrimsonFirebolt, KriNgA... PLS. REVIEW!


	4. A Mere Memory

A/N: okay… here's another chapter! Dedicated to the ff. reviewers :

Scarywhenhyper, SpilledInk, Invader Moose, KAOS, Forever89, hyper, C, sandy, buttercup09, foxyness, krinGa, Riverchick1998, mIoNe_herm!, jess, MeriyA, imPrEssed, sandy(again! =] thnx 4 reviewing this 2x! ehehehe…)

As always, I'm really sorry for updating late. I know I promised an earlier update but I've been too busy with homework and projects. Thank you for the kind words and reviews! It really made my day. Anyway, here's chapter 4. I've already formulated the plot and the twist of story (it's all in my head though) so you better watch out for updates. I'll try to update soon. But if not, bear with me. I promise to finish this story… it might take me months but we'll get there.

Summary: Draco is dying… he only has a year left to live and no amount of magic can save him… Now Draco promises to change-to make his few months of living be filled with laughter instead of tears.. D/Hr sooner or later… R/R pls.

* * *

chapter 4: A Mere Memory

* * *

"Draco?" Narcissa called quietly as she entered her son's room. "I heard you calling… are you ok-" she stopped.

Draco was lying in his bed. His eyes were staring fixedly at his ceiling, his arms still clutching his stomach. His usually slicked hair was a mess and he looked dead tired for some reason.

Narcissa felt like crying but she thought better of it. She took a deep breath, patted her cheeks to rearrange her face and slowly took a step towards her son. She didn't want to see him like this. She wanted him to experience life, to be happy until the end. She didn't want him to end up bitter and regretful. She wanted him to live. Not like this…

"Mum?" Draco spoke suddenly, unmoving.

"Yes, Draco?" She asked, as she sat beside him in his bed.

"Mum, I don't want to go back to Hogwarts." he said quietly. "I can't go back…"

"Why can't you?" she asked, surprised. "I thought you love school."

"I did." He answered, "but now I can't."

"Why?" she asked again. "I don't understand"

Draco closed his eyes, "They'll laugh at me mum… I can't go back… not like this…"

"No, they won't! You're being paranoid!" She answered. "No one will dare do that to you."

"Mum, I'm not exactly the most well-liked person at Hogwarts, you know?" He said flatly. "If word got out that I'm dying, I'm positive everyone will make fun of me. I'm not being paranoid. I've tormented a lot of people. They will obviously tell me things like, I definitely deserve to die or that my money can't help me now." He sighed, defeated. "I'm not strong enough to give them that kind of satisfaction."

Narcissa looked at Draco sharply, "But if they knew what you're going through no one will dare make fun of you!"

"That's just it! I also don't want anyone to know about this!" Draco said, angrily. "Please, don't let them see me like this!"

"Draco… You should go!" Narcissa explained, "No one needs to know. I don't want you to wake up one day and say that you should've gone to school, or you should've made more friends… or you should've lived. Please, don't waste your life!"

"What's the use, mum?" Draco said tiredly. "I'm going to die anyway. I know it because I feel my health deteriorating. I know I won't last the year."

"Shh… don't say that Draco… Don't ever say that!" Narcissa pleaded.

"I don't want to live," he whispered. "Not like this."

Narcissa stood up and pulled his son up from his position. Draco looked surprised.

"I won't tolerate your self-pity." She said severely. "I know everything seems hopeless, but for God's sake put yourself together!"

Draco looked at her mother in awe. It seemed like they switched personality all of a sudden.

"I'm being strong for you," she said loudly, her voice shaking. "So you have to be strong for me, too!"

Draco stared at his mother, loss for words. He knew how hard it was to pretend to be strong. His mother has been doing that for a long, long time. He suddenly felt really guilty. His mother was taking on a lot with his father's absence, and then now, being strong for him.

"I'm sorry, mum." Draco said suddenly as he pulled her to his arms. "I didn't mean to say any of it. I don't know why I feel this weak."

Narcissa held on to her son, trying to push as much hope she could give by the hug. "Don't ever give up on me because I'm not giving up on you, okay?"

"Even if we don't find a cure…?" Draco asked.

"Please don't say that…" Narcissa pleaded quietly, feeling totally defeated. She was trying her best to convince herself that there was still a chance for them. "I will find a way to save you but you have to promise me one thing."

"What is it?" Draco asked as he felt her mum hugging him tighter.

"Go back to Hogwarts" she pleaded, "Please don't waste your life doing nothing. Do it for me."

Draco felt some of her mother's tears on his shoulder. He knew all along that she was holding it in all this time. He slowly pulled away from the hug and slowly wiped some of the stray tears from his mother's eyes. "Okay, I'll do it." He said, "I don't want you to breakdown on me again." He gave her a small smile.

Narcissa smiled back, her eyes full of hope. "You promise?" she asked.

Draco nodded. "I'll take your advice and make the best out of my life" he said lightly. "I'll triple the bullying, torment the teachers, and destroy the Great Hall…"

"Wh-WHAT?" Narcissa looked at him alarmed.

Draco laughed at his mother's reaction. "I'm kidding," he said. "Lighten up, mom. Like you said, I have to enjoy my time."

Narcissa swatted Draco's head out of instinct, "I didn't ask you to get yourself expelled!" she pointed out.

"Yes, I know. I'm joking. I don't want you to cry anymore." He said, laughing.

Narcissa smiled at him, touched. "I'll call the maids and order them to ready your things," she said softly.

"Okay." Draco agreed.

Narcissa stood up and went towards the door but stopped abruptly as though remembering something she forgot. "By the way, why did you call for me?" she asked, concerned. "Were you in pain?"

Draco nodded, "Bur I'm okay now. No need to make a big fuss about it." he said hurriedly.

She slowly reached for her pocket and handed him a small brown paper bag. Draco eyed it warily. "What's that supposed to be?" he asked, confused.

"Medication" she answered. "The muggle doctor gave this to me. It's a special medicine. It's a solidified potion powder."

Draco reached for the bag and opened it. Inside was a bottle full of capsule pills. He shook the bottle curiously.

"How do you use this?" he asked stupidly.

"Same as how we drink potions." Narcissa explained. "The medicine is very strong. He mixed both muggle and wizard meds in it."

"Okay…" Draco said as he tried to open the lid. "What does it do exactly?"

"Those are pain killers," she answered. "It helps numb the pain. Oh, and you have to turn the lid to open it."

Draco tried turning the lid the wrong way. "It's not opening. Are you sure this is how you open this?" he asked.

Narcissa reached for the bottle and tried opening it herself to no avail. "That's weird. When they showed me how to open this complex thing, I did it right the first time." She explained.

"Maybe you need some kind of spell?" Draco suggested.

"I don't think so," Narcissa said as she turned the lid the wrong way again.

Let's just say it took them 2 hours to figure out how to operate such a complex muggle bottle design.

* * *

Hermione, Harry, Ron, Ginny, Padma, Parvati, Lavender, Dean and Neville were all in one small compartment in the Hogwarts express. Almost all of them were chattering happily about how their vacation went.

Hermione wasn't paying attention to them. She was staring blankly at the window, still totally bothered by her morbid dream. She was weighing the odds of how likely it could happen. She was scared that it might be an omen of something bad. She sighed heavily. Every single time she remembered the details, she felt her heart breaking again as if it already happened. There was this nagging feeling that whoever was in that coffin was definitely someone very special to her. Someone she loves dearly. "Could it be my friends?" she thought. She suddenly brushed the thought aside when she remembered all her friends were in the service. "So the person who's NOT in that funeral could be a clue." She mused. "So with simple deduction, I can maybe figure out who it was…"

"Hermione! Are you okay?" Neville asked concernedly. "You've been staring out the window for quite some time now. Are you sure you're alright?"

"What's wrong? Is there something bothering you?" Harry asked.

"Oh, don't mind me, guys. I'm fine. I'm just recalling the book I've read." Hermione lied casually. "It's kind of an interesting book. Boring stuff."

"Here, Hermione!" Padma and Parvati said together while standing up. "It's more comfortable here. If you'd like to switch places go ahead."

"Really… I'm fine!" Hermione said, smiling.

"WAIT!" Ron blurted out suddenly.

"Huh? What wrong?" Harry asked, confused.

"It's just… weird. That's all." Ron started.

"Huh? What?" Harry asked. "Did you eat something bad again?"

Ron gave Harry a weird look. "No, Harry. Why do you always assume I'm talking about food?"

Harry laughed. "Well, because it's you." He answered honestly.

Ron rolled his eyes, "Anyway, the reason for the whole weirdness is the time."

Ginny rolled her eyes at her brother, "If you're going to tell the whole story, just say it. STOP STALLING!"

"Fine. Fine. Chill out, Ginny." Ron answered, "I was checking the time and based on my superb observation skills, there is something amiss! Malfoy usually swings by at around this hour, you know!" He said matter-of-factly.

"You're right," Harry said, impressed by Ron's inference. "I never actually noticed this until you mentioned it."

"See? See? I told you I have some sort of talent, too!" Ron said smugly.

Everyone laughed at him.

Harry then peered outside the hall. There was no sign of the Slytherins anywhere. "I wonder what happened to him…"

"To whom? Malfoy? Maybe he died…" Ron joked.

"Shhh!" Hermione interjected suddenly. She was really sensitive about the whole "death" thing. Ron backed away suddenly, surprised as he watched Hermione hover before him with a serious angry expression, "He may be our enemy but you shouldn't say things like that, Ron!"

"Cool it! I was just joking…!" Ron said defensively.

"Well, it's not funny!" she snapped.

Ron apologized and Hermione relented. Sometimes, Ron can be so cruel.

* * *

"Mum, on second thought, I don't think I can do this." Draco said suddenly as he watched the house elves put his entire luggage in the car. "And besides, the Hogwarts express left hours ago."

"You promised me you'll do it, remember?" she pointed out. "And you don't need to worry about a thing. I've already talked to Professor Dumbledore and Professor Snape. They will personally fetch us at the station."

"W-Wait! Mum! What else did you tell them?" Draco asked, alarmed. "Did you tell them about my… circumstance?"

Narcissa didn't answer.

"Please tell me you didn't!" Draco begged. "Did you?"

"I'm sorry, Draco. But I had to." Narcissa said while looking at her son straight in the eye. "I can't always be at Hogwarts so I need someone to look after you."

"Who else knows about this?" Draco asked, annoyed. "You promised you wouldn't tell anyone!"

"I said nobody has to know! But you have to understand that in order for us to hide your condition, we need the cooperation of the school" she explained, "I won't let anyone hurt you due to lack of preparation and security! Do you understand?"

Draco nodded. As much as he hated the idea, he knew his mother meant well.

"You don't need to worry about anything. Just look after yourself." Narcissa said as she opened the car door. "Come now. We need to leave now."

"Yes, mother. I'm coming." he said as he looked back once more at his home. He smiled sadly as though he was looking at a mere memory. _"I'm surely going to miss this place,"_ he muttered to himself.

He then walked towards the garden and inhaled its beautiful scent. He had a lot of childhood memories in this place. He closed his eyes and inhaled everything once again. He was actually storing this moment; the actual fragrance of this place in his mind… for it may be the last time he will ever get to be here. Sad as it may sound, he knew in his heart that it could be true.

Draco went back to the car and sighed heavily. He took one last glance at the manor and memorized everything in his head. He sadly looked at the house as the car started to move away, "Well," he sighed dramatically. "Just incase..."

* * *

A/N: And so we're done! Sorry for the very short chapter. I know it may seem a bit boring, but it will get better once they're at Hogwarts. I'm also apologizing in advance if you find Draco a bit out of character (weepy to be exact). But then again, I'm using the hierarchy of grief to make this a bit realistic: so far I'm done with denial and anger so you better watch out for the next steps. Anyway, as per usual please REVIEW and NO FLAMES.

'til my next update!


	5. Suspicions

A/N: Hi, all! THANK YOU! You guys make me so happy! I can't believe this story finally reached a milestone! (Yeah, Last Kiss finally reached 100+ reviews.) Sorry if I'm making this kind of a big deal… Hehe. So in celebration, I'm giving you another chapter. Anyway, since I'm kind of busy at the moment, you might see some typo/errors all over the place so please bear with me. I have no time to edit and stuff. I hope you'll like this chapter. I hope you won't be confused since I'll be changing POVs a lot. Don't worry though because it's still in the third person. ENJOY.

Dedicated once more to the ff. reviewers:

**MysticalStormz**, **Riverchick1998, auroracat**, **michelle, Arial**, **Cynnamon Flakes**, **Scarywhenhyper**, **KAOS, C**, **krinGa**, **jess, Akira Gown,** **Sandy,** **J'amais**, **maxzoid**, **Iris leonhart**, **flamer-grL**, **SpilledInk,** **Xenia**, **Fiona**, **Unicorn777**, **TigerLily**, **dracos-baby-girl**, **Ron and Hermione fan**

Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns the characters, setting and the details but I own the plot.

Summary: Draco is dying, he only has a year left to live and no amount of magic can save him. Now Draco promises to change- to make his few months of living filled with laughter instead of tears. Will be D/Hr, sooner or later. R&R please.

Recap: Malfoy decided to go to Hogwarts!

* * *

Chapter 5: Suspicions

The Hogwarts express finally jerked to a stop. Hermione, Ron, Harry, Neville and Ginny all rode on the first carriage while Parvati, Padma and the others rode on the second carriage. The ride was quite uneventful. Harry and Ron were both quiet during the ride while Neville and Ginny were laughing quietly. Hermione, however, was staring blankly outside. She's been thinking of the same things over and over again. It was starting to get to her. She hated thinking about it and worse; she couldn't bring herself to share it to anyone just yet. Hermione sighed heavily; she got bored staring at her side of the carriage so she decided to look on the opposite window. It was quite dark, but something caught her eye… four people moving towards the entrance hall. Hermione's heartbeat quickened its pace as she realized what she was seeing… There's no mistaking it… it was no other than…

"Malfoy!" Hermione burst out suddenly, causing Harry Ron, Neville and Ginny to jump in surprise. Hermione curiously followed him with her eyes as he saw him with Narcissa, Snape and Dumbledore entering the entrance hall.

Harry, Ron, Ginny and Neville all peered out to where Hermione was looking only to find Dumbledore in the entrance.

"Where is he?" Ron asked, squinting his eyes to get a better view.

"Too late, Ron. He's already inside." Hermione answered.

"I wonder what happened to him…" Harry said, frowning.

Ron sighed dramatically, "Too bad, isn't it? Just when we thought he's gone…"

"Well, he still has every right to go back to Hogwarts, you know." Hermione said, certain.

Ron rolled his eyes, "Whatever! I'd still prefer him gone. Gone for good!" he said.

Hermione shook her head and kept quiet. Ron was really mean sometimes. If he kept that attitude, he'll be more like Malfoy sooner than he thinks.

* * *

They finally reached the entrance and went to the Great Hall. Hermione, Ginny, Harry and Ron then settled themselves on a good spot.

Hermione chanced a glance at the Slytherin table to check whether Malfoy was there or not. She scanned the first few rows but she couldn't find him.

_"Something is up!"_ Hermione thought as she tried to find him at the end of the Slytherin table. _"What's happening to him?"_

Dumbledore stood up. Gave a short speech about new rules by Filch and about the forbidden forest but Hermione was just half listening. A lot of thoughts were bothering her. She even wondered why she's wasting her time looking for Malfoy. Hermione shook her head to shake her muddle thoughts aside and tried to concentrate instead on Dumbledore's speech. She tried… but she failed.

_"Damn, Malfoy!"_ Hermione muttered angrily to herself. _"Of all the days to be weird, he chose the first day of school!"_

"Er… Hermione?" Began Ginny. "Are you okay?" she asked.

Hermione smiled at her. "I'm fine." she said unconvincingly. Ginny looked at her with utter concern. She was trying to figure out the cause of Hermione's weird behavior.

"I'm fine, Ginny!" Hermione repeated, smiling.

Ginny just nodded and turned her attention again to Dumbledore, who just sat down on his high chair. Ginny looked unconvinced as usual. Hermione sighed.

"Hey, Hermione!" Ginny whispered suddenly. "Where do you reckon Snape is?"

Hermione looked at the long table in front of them and sure enough, Snape wasn't anywhere in sight. Hermione shrugged in reply. But deep inside, she knew, it must be a Malfoy related issue.

Professor McGonagall, with a bunch of first year students suddenly entered the Great Hall carrying her usual scroll of names and the sorting hat. Professor Dumbledore nodded at her as though he was signaling her to start. McGonagall nodded back and thus the Sorting commenced.

"Andrews, Phoebe" called McGonagall and a girl that somehow looks like Ginny minus the red hair, came up and with trembling hands, put the sorting hat in her head.

Hermione stared at the girl. In a way, she thought, she was just like her in her first day at Hogwarts.

"GRYFFINDOR!" The sorting hat bellowed.

Everyone in his or her table applauded, including Hermione. She smiled as she watched the excited first year join their table for the first time.

* * *

"Draco, I'll be back on Saturday to check up on you." Narcissa said as she gave her son a small peck on the cheek. Draco nodded. "Professor Dumbledore told me I could stay here for the night but I have to keep the household together first. I also need to attend to your father. Do you understand?"

"Yes, mum. I understand." Draco answered automatically.

"I'll be staying here three times a week. Is that okay with you? Or-"

"Yes, mum. It's fine with me." He said.

Narcissa gauged Draco's reaction, "If you need anything, Professor Snape is here to assist you."

"I'll be attentive to his needs" Snape promised.

"I know I can trust you with this, Severus. " Narcissa said, smiling. "Thank You."

"Don't you mind it" Severus replied.

"By the way Draco, keep the 30th of every month open, okay? Agushen and Simms will check up on you."

Draco nodded. Even though he hated check ups, especially with that irritating, muggle loving Dr. Simms, he would take his chances. His mother needed her, most especially now that his father wasn't home.

"If you run out of painkillers and I'm not around, call Severus immediately. He'll know what to do" Narcissa said.

A carriage that was supposed to bring Narcissa back to the Hogwarts express stopped in front of them.

"By the way Severus, only me, you, Draco and Professor Dumbledore should know about this!" she reminded, as she entered the carriage. Snape nodded.

"Bye Draco! I'll see you soon!" With that, the carriage moved and left.

"Do you want to rest?" Snape asked him gently. "Or do you want to join the feast?"

"I don't know," he said.

"Well," Snape started. "I still need to go to the feast… And to tell you the truth, I suggest you go with me there."

"Why?" Draco asked.

"Isn't it more suspicious if you don't show yourself to people?" Snape answered. "I mean, that will obviously lead to unwanted questioning."

Draco hated to admit it, but Snape has a point.

"What do you say?" Snape asked, "Of course I don't want to force you, if you don't want to."

Draco sighed and nodded. "I'll go."

"Good answer." Snape said. "Do you have your medicine with you?" he asked.

Draco took out the small container out of his pocket and showed it to Snape.

"Okay good," Snape said. "Just incase…"

* * *

"Vladimir, Marquee" McGonagall shouted frailly over the crowd.

A boy, who looked somehow like Crabbe, walked in front of everyone and sat on the stool. He had this unpleasant vibe in him that people knew he'd be in Slytherin. The sorting hat was placed in his head and to everyone's surprise… the sorting hat shouted, "HUFFLEPUFF!"

Ginny giggled as Marquee sat down at the Hufflepuff table. She definitely didn't expect it. Hermione was also laughing. Ginny smiled inwardly. She was watching Hermione closely, monitoring her bizarre behavior. Ginny felt a little bit at ease now that Hermione seemed uplifted.

Finally, to everyone's delight. Mya Zephyr, who was the last first year in the list was sorted in Ravenclaw. Dumbledore once again stood up, gave a short saying and finally shouted, "Let the feast begin!"

Ron, who seemed like he had been starved to death during the sorting, ate vigorously. Harry and Hermione were laughing loudly as Ginny told them about Ron's encounter with Fleur and how he tried to impress her but failed miserably. Ron chose to ignore them and just enjoyed his food.

* * *

Malfoy could hear the noise from the Great hall. Although a part of him doesn't want to go, he went along with Snape for the sake of saving face. He knew it was a petty excuse, but that's all he has - a reputation to keep. He sighed, as he watched Snape open the door of the Great hall. Draco impulsively put his hands to his pocket, making sure the bottle of painkillers was still with him. He sighed in relief, holding the painkillers like a charm. Not here, he prayed, not where anyone can see.

He scanned the Great Hall and was greeted by the Slytherins. He greeted them back and was kind of surprised to see a lot of death glares by the other tables. He smirked at them in retaliation and they looked away from him, obviously pissed. He sat down in between Pansy and Crabbe, and greeted them pleasantly while they greeted him back. He sighed. He was hoping they wouldn't ask any questions. He was also hoping, fervently, that Pansy wouldn't notice a thing.

Hermione looked up, and was a little bit surprised to see Snape and Malfoy enter the Great Hall together. She frowned, as thousands of thoughts ran through her brain, as usual. She was starting to hate herself for getting worked up over an irritating enemy. She watched Malfoy, as he joined his minions over the Slytherin table.

Harry followed Hermione's line of gaze and chuckled softly. "So, a certain Slytherin caught your attention, huh?"

Hermione immediately looked away and stared instead at Harry's bright green eyes.

"Don't be stupid!" she said, defensively. "What the hell are you talking about?"

Harry chuckled at Hermione's reaction, "I'm kidding! Lighten up!" he said, smiling. "You look so serious!"

Hermione grinned, apologetic. She sighed and began to chow down her food. _"What is happening to me?"_ she muttered to herself._ "Why am I so worked up over this?"_

* * *

Malfoy looked up from his table and by chance, saw Hermione staring at him from the Gryffindor table. _"Weird,"_ he thought, as he stared right back at her. Malfoy looked over his shoulder just to check if she was staring at someone behind him. There was no one, he then looked right back at the Gryffindor table only to see her talking to Ginny. "Weird," he repeated, quietly to himself. Maybe he just imagined it all. He then remembered his weird encounter with Granger at muggle London.

"Hey, Draco!" Pansy called, startling Draco out of his thoughts.

"What?" He asked.

Pansy looked at him with a mixture of worry and concern. "What happened to you?" she asked.

"Huh?" Draco asked nervously. "What do you mean?" He was hoping she'll never ask anything but there she goes. Observing him as always. There's just no escaping her. Pansy was just too good to overlook this kind of thing… persistent and smart. _"Damn!"_

"I said," began Pansy. "What happened to you? Why didn't you come by train like the rest of us?" she asked.

"Oh, about that…" Draco said while thinking hard of what to say to her.

"What?" she asked again, waiting.

"Well, uh…" Draco started. "My mother felt kind of sick this morning so I had to accompany her to the doctor." He lied, smoothly.

"Oh my! Is your mum okay? I hope it's not serious or anything," Pansy said worriedly.

"Uh, no. It's nothing serious, don't worry." Draco assured her. "She just needs some rest."

Pansy smiled, "Well, that's good to hear." She said, finishing her food.

"Where's Goyle?" Draco said suddenly, trying to change the subject.

Crabbe and Pansy started laughing loudly. Draco stared at them confusedly, though he felt relieved that they finally changed the subject.

"What's going on?" Draco asked, "Did I miss something?"

Pansy tried to stop herself from laughing; she then rearranged her features and said with mock seriousness, "He is in front of you, Draco."

Draco stared, then blinked, and then gasped. "NO BLOODY WAY!"

Sitting right in front of him was a very good-looking boy, with muscular built, brown hair, and hazel brown eyes. It couldn't be Goyle, can it? It can't be... "No way! Is that you, Goyle?" he asked, flabbergasted.

The guy right in front of him smiled brightly.

"Yup!" Pansy said. "That's him alright!"

Draco couldn't believe it. The person in front of him was actually built and wasn't fatty like Crabbe and Goyle. He looked him up and down, impressed.

"I win the bet, Draco." Pansy said suddenly, as she held out her hands. "50 galleons, remember?"

"What? Oh yeah… I remember!" Draco said, as he remembered daring Pansy 50 galleons if he could make Goyle look like a hunk. He got his small leather pouch bag and gave it to Pansy.

"That is exactly 50 galleons" He said, laughing. He couldn't believe Pansy pulled it off. Changing how a person looked based solely on transfiguration was really heavy stuff. You need to be adept in transfiguration to be able to pull off changing an eyebrow. Let alone, changing the whole body of a person.

"Well," Pansy got her wand out of her pocket and muttered something and Goyle went back to normal.

"Hey, Pansy!" Goyle said, suddenly looking disappointed. "What did you do that for? I was quite enjoying the attention!"

"Attention?" Draco asked Pansy.

She started laughing again. "Would you believe? Lavander and that Patil girl actually asked Goyle out! It was so… hilarious!"

"What?" Draco said in mild shock. "They asked HIM out?"

"Yes!" She said, giggling.

Draco laughed light-heartedly for the first time in weeks. Finally, after 2 months of self-pity, depression and loneliness, he felt as though nothing was wrong. He felt like he was his old self again. All worries forgotten… even the fact that he was dying…

* * *

A/N: **R/R** please! I promise it will get better soon. Anyway, to answer some questions, no, it's not tuberculosis. I was looking for something much worst actually. So yeah, I'm still looking for options. As for the white dress in the funeral dream sequence, the standard colors in funerals are either of the two: black or white. I chose the latter to make it unique. I mean, since everyone wears black… I wanted something different for the power couple.

So there, I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter. I know it was kind of short? I'll try to make it longer in the next chapters.

Please review and as usual, **NO FLAMES**.


	6. Parchment and Quill

A/N: hey people!!! OMG!!! Thanks for the reviews and happy birthdays you gave me!!! I love you all!!! SO… finally… we're on chapter 6… WOW!! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!!! Anyway… in this chapter… well… It's depressing… I think… well… tell me what you think… and **NO FLAMES** … The other half of the Dedication to this chapter will be in the A/N at the bottom… 

Dedication and Special mentions: 

Dedicated to:   
**scarywhenhyper(**YUP… I checked the reviews and yeah it was you… !!! and like you said… I'll thank you twice… the other thank you will be at the A/N later!! Oh and one more thing… just wait for future chapters to know why it is entitled last kiss…!)**, MeriyA[2x](**yeah… I find the garden scene a little depressing… oh and thanks for the review!),** SpilledInk(**thanks for the greeting!!! ÜÜÜ and the review and for the compliment!!! and to tell you the truth, you're really a great writer yourself!!! I really love your poems and this particular story where in there's no Hogwarts… and everything Harry has ever known was a dream… that was absolutely depressing!!! More depressing than this story…!!!) 

~ more special mentions later ~ 

Disclaimer: NOPE! Not mine… only the plot… 

Summary: Draco is dying, he only has a year left to live and no amount of magic can save him. Now Draco promises to change- to make his few months of living filled with laughter instead of tears. Will be D/Hr, sooner or later. R&r please. 

Synopsis: Another school year starts and still no one knows Draco's secret… Hermione's going crazy because of her morbid dreams…   
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Chapter 6: Parchment and Quill 

_She was there, in a cozy hospital room, holding his hands. Afraid that if she'd let go of it, she'll never feel him. Never touch him. She was scared... So… so scared. Small tears leaked out from her eyes but she quickly wiped it away. "_I won't cry!!" _she stated firmly to herself. She had to be strong, she just have to. Even though she knew in her heart that he'll leave her soon. _"Don't leave me…" _she whispered silently as she stared at his angelic yet tranquil face. _"Stay with me… please…" 

_Hermione gently lifted his hands and held it against her cheeks. Tiny drop of tears fell down and pelted in his hands. He was sleeping peacefully while Hermione was going crazy. She was scared of losing him. Scared that he won't wake up. Scared that he wouldn't last the day… Hermione closed her eyes and a lot of tears leaked out. Her heart was breaking, slowly and painfully...___

"I love you…" _she whispered, her eyes still closed._ "I love you…So.. so… much…"_ Another tear slid down her face._ "Don't ever forget that…" 

_Hermione opened her eyes and stared yet again at his peaceful form. His angelic face was smiling contentedly. In his face it was evident that he was happy. She smiled at him, delighted that he was contented. _"I love you…" _she whispered again. Hermione looked away for a moment and stared at her surroundings. The room smelled like potions and antiseptics. And in the room small beeps can be heard. Sounds from a heart monitor near his bed. The room was full of both muggle curing machines and wizard potions. His case was critical that they needed the muggle's medical customs for his health._____

_Hermione looked at the heart monitor before glancing back at him. She lowered his hands and placed it in the bed. She sat beside him and gently stroked his hair. _"I don't know what I'll do when you're gone…"_ she whispered hoarsely._ "Please don't leave me... not yet…" _She leaned forward and gently kissed him on the lips. Hoping that it won't be the last. She pulled back and continued stroking his hair. She closed her eyes once again and was listening to the rhythmic beeps of the heart monitor when it suddenly emitted a high-pitch whine.___

_Hermione's eyes popped open and she bolted upright. She stared at the dark green flat line on the machine. Her heart was pounding fast._ "Oh no!! I'm losing him…!!!" _She thought in panic_. "Oh no!! Somebody please help me!!!" _she shouted_. 

"Oh no!! Oh No!!! please wake up!!!" _She whispered pleadingly_. "Please wake up!!! Open you eyes… please!!!" 

_A few mediwizards and muggle doctors rushed inside the room and moved Hermione aside. All were examining him, checking his pulse and any vital signs… But there was none… No pulse, no vital signs, he was gone…_

"No way…" _Hermione said simply._ "No way…!! He can't be..!! NOOOOOO!!!"   


"NOOOOO!!!!" Hermione shouted as she sat up straight on her bed. Parvati and Lavender were both there beside her bed all looking worriedly at her. 

"You finally woke up!!…" Lavender said in a small voice. "We've been waking you up…! You we're crying while sleeping…" 

"Hermione!!!" Parvati sat beside her and hugged her. "We were so worried… are you okay?" 

Hermione sobbed on Parvati's shoulder. She couldn't take it anymore. She has to share this to someone. She was so confused. Her heart was still pounding painfully. 

Parvati patted Hermione's back gently while Lavender joined in and hugged Hermione. "It's okay Herm… Whatever that was… It was only a dream…" 

"Ya Herm… we're here for you… so if there's a problem, we will listen to you" Lavender said softly. 

Hermione pulled back while wiping her eyes. She was going to open up to them or else she'll go crazy. She had never shared her morbid dreams to anyone. Not even to Harry, Ron or her own mother. They wouldn't understand her. No one could but nevertheless she took a deep breathe. "I can't take this anymore…" she started. "I couldn't concentrate on anything because of this dreams…" 

Lavender and Parvati both patted Hermione's back gently. "Go on… we're listening…" 

"For the past 2 months…" she continued. "I've been dreaming about someone… A guy that I really, really love and that he was dying in front of me…" 

Lavender gasp and stood up. Parvati patted Hermione once more. "Go on…" she said. 

Hermione took a deep breath and exhaled it slowly before continuing. "I can't take it anymore! I can't even share this to either Harry or Ron because they we're also in the dream." 

"What were they doing in the dream?" Lavender asked. 

"They we're pulling me away from the coffin…" Hermione answered. "But I don't want them to…" 

"What was the scenery? Cold, Rainy morning? Or cold, rainy afternoon?" Lavender asked again. 

Hermione paused and tried to recall her first dream. She could feel her heart pounding painfully again. Parvati noticed this and patted her again. "In order to ease the pain you're feeling… you have to let it out…" she said with certainty. 

Hermione nodded. "It was rainy and afternoon… I think.." 

"The people around you… who are they? What we're they doing?" Lavender asked while jotting down everything Hermione was saying. 

"Umm… Lavender…" Hermione asked, puzzled. "What are you doing?" 

Lavender put the piece of parchment and paper down and smiled at Hermione. "Well, Hermione… Do you happen to remember what my favorite subject is…" 

"No." she said softly. 

"Well… since you have forgotten, I have lots and lots of books about divination. I might find the answers and the meaning of your dreams…" Lavender said cautiously. 

"Not that stup-" Hermione started but Lavender immediately butted in. "Please consider Hermione… I know you don't like the subject but it might help you…" 

Hermione knew they we're doing this to help her. So, although she didn't believe divination, she nodded. "Okay.." 

Parvati smiled at Hermione. "Well Herm, there is another way to ease the pain and would make Lavender's job easier." 

"What is it?" She asked quietly. 

"Write your dreams down… And never ever try to forget your dreams…" she said. 

"Why shouldn't I forget my dreams?" Hermione asked again. 

Parvati sighed. "I know you don't believe about stuffs in divination but…" 

"But what?" Hermione asked again. 

"Sometimes, dreams are intuitions… A second sight. It has many forms and symbolism. Sometimes it's entirely the opposite of the real meaning or sometimes it is actually what's going to happen." 

"Parvati stop it… you're scaring me!" Hermione said pleadingly. "I don't like these dreams to happen!!" 

"Us too…" She said softly. "Oh.. and Hermione, whoever that was… in your dreams…" 

"Who?" Hermione asked, afraid to listen. 

"The one dying…" Parvati answered softly. "Find him before it's too late…" 

"Stop it!!! Just forget the whole thing!!" Hermione said irritated. Even though she knew they were helping her, they're more like scaring her. 

"We're sorry. It's not that we are scaring you or anything." Lavender said softly. "Well… here Hermione…" she got a metallic, hard bound notebook and gave it to her. "Write it down and forget your dream…" 

"Lavender! She shouldn't forget her dream!" Parvati said loudly. 

"I know. But if she'll write it down, she can forget her dream and we'll recollect her dream for her…" Lavender answered. 

Hermione nodded. "Okay… I'll write everything down… you do that for me…" she smiled. "Thanks…" 

"No problem…" they said together. Hermione looked at her digital clock beside her bed. It read 3 a.m. She faced them. "Parvati, Lavender… I'm okay now, you can go back to sleep…" 

They both nodded and went to their respective beds. Hermione stared at the notebook and smoothed its surface. She got out of her bed and sat at her desk. She got her quill and her bottle of ink, smoothed the surface of the notebook once more, before writing down her dream. 

~*~*~ 

Draco was sitting on his desk, staring absent-mindedly on the pain killers he was holding. He was tired, confused, everything. He couldn't sleep. He couldn't concentrate. A lot of thoughts we're swirling in his brain. For the first time in his life, he felt scared. Scared of being alone. Scared of dying alone. Scared that his time was short. Scared for his mother. He placed the pills on his table and got a slightly crumpled parchment that was beside his desk. It was a calendar. He flattened the parchment with his hand and started crossing out the days that have passed. The doctors and mediwizards have said that he has a year left to live… January of that year included. Meaning he only had 4 months left or maybe shorter. It was already September and he guessed he'll die at mid-December or even earlier. 

"Damn it!! I don't deserve this!!!" Draco shouted suddenly. His voice echoing in the room. "If someone deserve this kind of fate, then it's my father…" 

He felt an overwhelming anger and annoyance. He hated everyone. He hated his failing health. He hated his father. He hated the world. He hated everything. 

He closed his eyes and tried to calm himself. _"If only there was someone who'll help me through this…" _he said to himself. _"Someone who'll never leave me… Someone who'll love me…" _He felt lonely. He felt empty. He slowly opened his eyes and got a new piece of parchment, quill and a bottle of ink. He was going to write a list. A list he'll attain before he run out of time. He dipped his quill in his bottle of ink and legibly wrote : 

_1. Win all quidditch games._   
_2. Find someone who'll take good care of my mother._   
_3. Beat Granger and be the top of the class._   
_4. Kick Mrs. Norris._   
_5. Get in trouble and go to the Forbidden forest one last time.___

He paused for a moment and thought about doing something he never done before. He dipped his quill once more and continued writing on his list. 

_6. Leave Potter, Weasley and Granger alone._   
_7. Mind my own business._   
_8. Be nice to others._   
_9. Respect everyone._

He stared at the list for a moment. He's not sure whether he'll do the last 4 but he'll try. He read and reread his list. He still need one more deed. He strained his memory for something he should do that he never had done before. He closed his eyes and remembered what Dr. Simms had said during his first check up with him. 

"_Use this year wisely Draco… In this one year, you may be able to finish Hogwarts 6th year, and also…one year is enough to make your mistakes right, enough to make your life meaningful, enough time to think, enough time to do all the things you want to do and-"_____

_"What?" Draco asked him, surprised that the doctor actually took his mocking question seriously" One year is enough to make it up to the ones you love…"_

"Make it up to the ones you love…" Draco repeated. _"But I don't have any love ones beside my mother…" _He sighed. That was it. He dipped his quill in the bottle of ink, and neatly wrote.   


_10. Find someone who'll love me…___

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A/N: There finally… that was chapter 6… *whew* this was long… 7 pages long!!! Sorry if it was corny or something… Anyway… I'm also sorry for updating late. Well, last week was our exam week and submission of all projects, lab reports, research paper, documentation, everything!! I just couldn't write with all those deadlines and Aaahhhh!!! That was absolutely stressing!!! Oh well… Let this chapter be a Christmas present for all of you. **MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!! **Please review! No flames… thanks! 

Dedicated to the ff. Reviewers: 

**SilverChocolate **(yup! I'm hurrying!)**, Potterfan**(okay! I'll try not to stop on the good parts..!) , **Multicolored Gypsy**(thanks 4 the review!),** pippin28**(thanks for liking the story!), **Broken-Hermione**(okay… if I got writer's block.. I'll email you!)**, KawaiiLunaKitty**(*blush* thanks 4 the review!), **K7o7 of BaCa PrOdUcTiOnZ**(thanks 4 the review!!), **Ihaveabellybutton**[2x](thanks 4 the review!! And about Pansy… well, in this story she has to be smart… she'll be important in the future chapters *hint*), **helly120**(to tell you the truth, your review is one of the best I have received. I'm touched… thanks!), **AntipodeanOpaleyes**(thanks 4 the greeting and the review and for the compliment! your review is also one of the best review I've received), **Individualists**(sorry for the cliffie!! Thanks for the review!), **opalgirl**(you better watch out for updates to see whether he'll die or not!Ü), **dracos-baby-gurl(**good luck to your games!!! GO F.C.S. LADY EAGLES!! Hehe… ÜÜ), **kei-chan**(hehe… LOL… well.. he is sick and he really has to be pitiful!), **C**(thanks for the greeting!!! Isn't Malfoy so cute in Flourish and Blotts?!! Hehe... I really love the movie!), **MysticalStormz**(thanks 4 reviewing!!), **Sandy**(thanks for always reviewing this story!!! WOW!!! And yeah… I promise to email you when I update!ÜÜÜ), **kriNga & -nina-**(yup! I remember you!!! Ehehe… thanks for always reviewing!!!) **treachery89**(thanks 4 putting this on your faves… ~wow~ and yup… I promise to write more… ÜÜÜ)** silverbullet**[2x](wait… someone told you from harrypotter.co.uk to read my story??? *gasp* can you tell me who did it so I can thank him/her personally?! Ehehe… ÜÜÜ and yeah thanks 4 reviewing 2X!!!) **SilverBunny**(well… the romance and the mush well… I'm not sure… but I promise you it'll be soon… ) and lastly…. **Scarywhenhyper**(thanks again 4 reviewing and putting me on your faves… )   


~~~~ and yeah, thanks to Akira Gown for the correction! ÜÜ 


	7. Frustration

A/N: Sorry for the late update!!!! I was planning to post this chapter last month but due to computer virus, I couldn't update. Oh well anyway here's finally chapter 7…Thanks for the reviews you gave me!!! And for those who put me in their faves, thank you so much! By the way, sorry about chapter 6.. there's something wrong with the format.. everything seems to be italicized.. and I really don't know how to fix it.. -_-' 

Dedication will be at the A/N later! 

Disclaimer: not mine. Only the plot. 

Summary: Draco is dying, he only has a year left to live and no amount of magic can save him. Now Draco promises to change- to make his few months of living filled with laughter instead of tears. Will be D/Hr, sooner or later. R&r please. 

Synopsis: Draco made a list of things he'll do before he dies. Hermione writes her dreams down and tries to forget it.   
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Chapter 7: Frustrations 

The 6th year girl's dormitory was silent. Only the scratching of a quill in the far corner of the room can be heard. Hermione had started writing her dream since 3 a.m. and still she wasn't finished. She stretched her arms and yawned. She realized that, somehow, the notebook helped. She felt calm. She felt inner peace. First time ever since those morbid dreams started. 

She snapped the metallic notebook shut and stood up. It was already 6 in the morning and she decided to get ready. She got her schedule and her bag and tried to organize her stuff. She smoothed her schedule and looked at it. They have double potions first thing in the morning. 

_"Damn!"_ Hermione thought as she ready her ingredients and her cauldron. She hated potions. Well, actually she liked potions. She liked the art and the lesson. Only the people in it is the only thing that spoils it. Hermione placed her cauldron on her desk and grabbed her towel. _"Well.. Since I'm early today, I'll take a stroll outside.. after I bathe.."_ she thought. _"it might ease my mind"_ With that, she grabbed her toiletries and entered the bathroom. 

~*~*~ 

Draco just finished dressing up. He hadn't have any sleep but he was still widely awake. He got his wand, grabbed his list and his pain killers and put it in his pocket. He sighed. He'll start with his list today. There was no time to waste.   
Time was precious to him now. Only in the age of sixteen had he realized how important time was. How he wished to slow the time. 4 months wasn't enough to complete his life but it was better than nothing. Draco looked back at his desk to see if he had forgotten anything. Since there was nothing left on his table, he left the room quietly. 

Draco was now walking silently. He didn't know where to go in particular so he decided to go outside. He quietly climbed down the stairs and was greeted by a stream of fresh golden light of the slightly opened entrance hall door. He scanned the area for a moment before he went outside. 

Draco shivered as he walked towards the lake. It was a chilly morning and the wind was somehow strong. The cold breeze ruffled his hair but he didn't care. He walked over the side of the lake and carefully sat down on one particularly large rock. Draco stared at the sparkling lake for a moment before pulling his list out of his pocket. _"What should I do first?"_ he muttered silently as he unfolded his list. He read it silently and reread it again. He sighed. It was harder than he thought. He folded the parchment, put it back in his pocket and stared yet again at the sparkling lake. 

_"Maybe I'll start with the minding my own business part.."_ he mused. 

Another stoke of cold wind cuff him in his face. Draco gave another involuntary shudder and he instinctively rubbed his hands together for some heat. It was really getting cold and he could feel his skin numbing because of it. He stood up. He just needed to get inside, he couldn't take the frosty feeling on his skin. He gave the lake one last glance and decided to go straight to the great hall and force himself with some breakfast. 

On his way to the entrance hall, he felt a jabbing pain on his stomach that made him stopped dead on his tracks. Draco's heart was pounding fast. _"Oh no! not here.."_ he muttered desperately to himself as he frantically looked around to see if there was someone around. _"Please not here.."_ he stopped moving to prevent the pain from getting far more worst but it was no use, it was getting more painful. _"Oh no.. Please!! Go away!!"_ he then sat down on the freshly cut grass and clutched his stomach. He was hoping, praying for the pain to go as quickly as it began. Draco was starting to panic. He couldn't see clearly, he was becoming dizzy. _"Oh no.. somebody! Anybody help me.. my pain killers.."_ he was fighting back tears and was grinding his teeth in pain. His other hand, however, was trying to get his pain killers but for some reason he couldn't get it out. _"Oh no.. I need help.."_

~*~*~ 

Hermione was on her way outside. She was now humming softly, her mood somehow better. She was clutching the metallic notebook near her chest and was greeted by a cold stroke of wind that cuff her in the face. She shivered and could see the fresh stream of golden light coming from the opened entrance hall. She then reached the door and went outside. Another stroke of wind slightly ruffled her hair. She instinctively hold it to stop it from getting to her eyes. It was really cold. 

She then looked around and went towards the lake. Never knowing, or never realizing that there was someone near the entrance hall, sitting on the floor, gritting his teeth in pain. Needing desperately for help. She didn't know.. She didn't notice. 

~*~*~ 

Draco tried to stay calm and tried not to move. Even if in his mind, he wanted to scream out loud in pain, he tried not to make any movement or any sound that could make him feel far more worst than he was feeling now. He was now clenching his fist tightly and he knew it was bleeding. He tried desperately to get his painkillers and felt absolutely relieved when he finally got it out. This time however, although he was thoroughly in pain, he tried to move himself out of view. He could hear someone approaching. The humming of whoever was doing it was getting louder by the minute. 

_"Dammit!!.."_ Draco muttered to himself as he tried to stand up and tried to move himself somewhere near the entrance hall. He was somehow hidden by the fountains and there he sat down. His hand was shaking slightly when he opened the lid of his painkillers. He felt like barfing. _"Oh no.."_ he knew he would throw up sooner or later. He could feel it. He then gripped the pills tightly in his fist. 

Draco got one capsule, placed it in his mouth and tried to swallow it without water. He tried to wait patiently for the medicine to work but it seemed like it wasn't helping him at all. Then, unexpectedly, he felt his throat involuntarily open and he threw up. He clutched his stomach tightly and he continued to get sick. 

~*~*~ 

Hermione was reading halfway through her dream when she heard something near the entrance hall door. A sound of someone getting sick. She shook her head, she knew she was probably imagining it. Since she had those morbid dreams, she had a lot of difficulty in differentiating reality to dreams. It was driving her crazy, she couldn't think straight. Hermione shrugged and didn't mind it. She then continued to read what she had written when she heard yet again the sound. She turned around and stared at the entrance hall door. She listened intently and heard it for the 3rd time. Someone was in pain, she could feel it. Hermione snapped the metallic notebook shut and decided to investigate what that was. 

~*~*~ 

_"Dammit!"_ Draco muttered under his breath. He wanted to strangle whoever made his painkillers to death. It was barely working, though he felt slightly relieved that at least at some point, he could feel the painful jabbing in his internal parts slowly stopping. He then pulled his wand out and cleaned the mess he made. He still needed to sit still just incase the pain might come back. Draco rubbed his head, he was now having a migraine. He didn't know whether it was a side effect or another pain attack. The only difference this time was that it wasn't in his stomach. Draco closed his eyes for a moment when he heard someone calling. 

"Is anyone there?" 

Draco's eye popped opened as he bolted upright. _"Oh no.. Isn't that Granger's voice?"_

"Is anyone there?" she called again. 

Draco started to panic. He was still slightly in pain but nevertheless, without making any sounds, he stood up and hide behind the bushes. His hands was still clutching his stomach and the other one was on his forehead. _"What the hell is she doing here?"_ he asked himself as he watched Hermione search behind the fountain where he was last seated when he got sick. He looked at her more closely and to his amazement, she was cursing herself. 

"Dammit!!" Hermione shouted in frustration as she sat down and started to pound her head with her fist. She had been right, she had imagined the sound. She was the only one there. How could she be so stupid enough to think someone was actually getting sick there? Well, if there was, she knew pretty well that the person might probably be in the hospital wing--not there in the lake. 

Draco couldn't believe his eyes. It was the first time he saw Granger like that. _"Was she always like that?"_ he thought as he watched her sat down and looked as if she was about to cry. _"What's she so frustrated about?"_

"Argh!! I knew I heard someone!!" she muttered as she looked around once again to make sure. She sighed and stood up. This thing about her dreams and imagination was making her mad. She just have to let it stop. With one last frustrated moan she went inside the great hall. Leaving a very confused Draco.. 

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A/N: I know this is kinda short and a little lame.. and I'm sorry.. thanks for the reviews you all gave me.. I appreciate it a lot.. please review and tell me what you think, but no flames! I'll probably post the next chapter earlier than expected and I promise you It'll be a lot more better.. please read my other stories if you have time.. thanks! 

Thank you goes to: 

**KeeperOfTheMoon**(LOL, thanks 4 reviewing.. !!), **Violet-Bauldair**(well.. you'll know pretty soon whether he'll die or not.. ehehe.. thanks 4 reviewing!!!), **Clover**(well, he'll realize he likes Hermione pretty soon.. *hint*), **Becca**(yup, yup.. I'll email you when I update!! And yeah, I'll try not to stop on the good parts!), **BiG*MeaN*SilveR*DragoN**(thanks for the compliment and putting me in your faves!!), **Potterfan**(Okay, I'll try one more time not to stop on the good parts.. ÜÜÜ), **Laydee Sakura**(well, he would eventually find that someone.. anyway, thanks 4 the review!!!), **treachery89**(well.. I want to thank you for telling silverbullet to read my story!!! Ehehe… it's so nice of you!! Highly appreciated!), **MeriyA**(Yeah.. I can see your point… ehehe.. well… here's a chapter for you!), **J'amais** [2](I've finally understand all that french thing you wrote!! I've just had a software that can translate.. whew! Thanks 4 reviewing!), **mik**(I promise to email you when I update and when I need help… thanks for the offer & the review!), **C**(thanks 4 always reviewing this!!!), **dracos-baby-gurl**(pls. Continue your story!! That was actually good! Anyway, thanks 4 reviewing!), **dEsTiNy**(here's more!! Thanks 4 the review and the compliment!), **-nina-**(yep! I'll email you when I update! Thanks 4 the compliment and the review!), **Dreaming One**(thanks 4 reviewing!!), **Starry**(you better wait 4 future chapters to see whether he'll die or not! Oh and thanks 4 the review!!), **silverbullet**(thanks 4 reviewing!), **kei-chan**(thanks 4 the review!), **draconoyee**(sure, I'll check your story out!! And Welcome to FF.NET!! ÜÜ), **MysticalStormz**(thanks 4 reviewing!), **buttercup09**(ang ganda ng new story mo!! ÜÜÜ), **ihaveabellybutton**(thanks for the review!!!), **KiKi-ChErRy88**(thanks 4 reviewing and thanks 4 putting this on your faves!!!), Girly girl(thanks for reviewing!!), **K7o7 of BaCa PrOdUcTiOnz** (thanks for reviewing!!!), **Akira Gown**[2x] (thanks you for the correction about the fate thing!!! I appreciate it a lot.. thanks for the comments and the review..!!), **Draco's angel** (I want to thank you both for reviewing this!!! Here's a chappie for you!! ÜÜ), **A LiTTle SomeOnE**(thank you for reviewing!!! Well, you better wait for future chappie to see if he'll die or not!!!), **The*Spangled*Pandemonium**(thanks for reviewing!!! And pls. Continue your stories!! I really like them!! and if you please, I want a sequel! ÜÜ), **Angie Summers**(thanks for the review.. nice story!!), **Sparkle-eyed dreamer**(thanks for the great review!! ), **Jessica**(thanks for the review!!), **affisia**(thanks for reviewing), **brittney**(thanks for the review), **scarywhenhyper**(thanks for your review!! ÜÜÜ), **Nikki**(Sorry for the wait.. thanks for reviewing), **PoisonIvy734**(I'm really sorry for the late updates.. thanks for your review!) **kirei**(calm down, I wasn't planning to update this late! I got a life too, you know.. I really appreciate that very long review. When I read it, you got a point.. my last update was Christmas.. I'm really sorry..)   



	8. Mistake

A/N: Told you! Chapter 7 was kinda lame.. I thought so myself… -_-' anyway.. I hope this is better.. the plot is all planned out now so.. Keep your eyes open for updates..! and by the way.. there's no thank yous for this chap.. I have no time to write it all.. so.. I'm sorry.. but don't worry.. I appreciate every review I receive! Believe me! =) and yeah.. one more thing.. you're probably very sick of reading dream sequence, but in this story.. dreams are VERY IMPORTANT!! So there.. I've warned you.. thanks again to those who reviewed!!! 

--And sorry, by the way for some grammatical errors in the story. I just haven't been writing stories lately... high school life is really hectic...

Summary: Draco is dying, he only has a year left to live and no amount of magic can save him. Now Draco promises to change- to make his few months of living filled with laughter instead of tears. Will be D/Hr, sooner or later. R&r please.

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Chapter 8: Mistake

_ Everything was a blur. Different colors were swirling, drowning her, pulling her inside the whirlpool of colors. She couldn't breathe. Loud pounding can be heard from somewhere. She was confused. She didn't know where she was. She screamed at the top of her lungs for help but no one seems to hear her. A force pulled her inside the whirl of colors and she fell hard on the floor. In the far corner of the room she saw someone hidden by the softly lit torch, and even from afar it was evident that the person was crying._

_She approached the person cautiously and she gasped as she realized who the person was._

_ "Mrs. Malfoy?" she asked, mystified._

_She looked up. Tears uncontrollably fell from her eyes. "It's you,"_

_ "Mrs. Malfoy. I don't understand, what happened?" she asked, her heart was pounding painfully fast as she stared at her. She knew something was awfully wrong._

_ Narcissa grabbed her wrist. She was now shaking slightly. "Something happened to Draco.."_

_Her eyes widened as she felt her whole body numbing. Her heart was beating fast. "Wh-what do you mean?" she asked, fighting the urge to ran away. In the look on Mrs. Malfoy's face, she knew, that the thing she was about to say was definitely something she didn't want to hear._

_ "He's sick.." Mrs. Malfoy whispered gravely. "And there's no cure.." _

_ "What do you mean?" she asked urgently. Hot tears threaten to fall from her eyes but she tried to stop it. No. She won't cry. Not until she knew it was true. "It can't be... he looks okay."_

_"But he's not..." _

_ "B-but.. It just can't be! No!!" she said loudly. "There's just no bloody way!!"_

_"And the doctors said he has 1 year left to live.. or maybe shorter.."_

_ "No!!" she repeated. "It's not possible.."_

_Mrs. Malfoy looked up. Fresh new tears continued to spill from her eyes. She was absolutely in distress. "I wish you're right.. I thought so too that its not possible.. but it is.. and it's happening.."_

_She shook her head. Her mind was racing. She knew the Malfoys have no sense of humor and so it's probably true.. but no! Draco couldn't be sick. He just can't be._

_ "You're joking!!"_

_"I wish I am.."_

_"But it can't be! You're probably making this up!"_

_"Why would I lie about something as serious as that?" Mrs. Malfoy said seriously. _

_ "NO!! You're lying.." she shouted as she started to ran away, afraid of hearing more. It can't be.. It just can't be true. She ran as far as her feet could go. Not knowing where she will go. She ran faster and felt the floor shake but she didn't care. It vibrated with more velocity and she fell yet again but this time she fell faster, causing a certain girl to wake with a start._

"Oh my God!!" Pansy screamed as she sat up straight in bed looking horrified. Her heart was still raising and she could feel beads of sweat falling in her face. Pansy looked at her clock; it was exactly 6:00. She closed her eyes for a moment before getting out of bed. "What the hell.." she muttered as she felt a sudden pain in her head. She has never been woken up by a dream before and as far as she could remember, this was the first time she ever dreamed at all. She touched her throbbing head for a moment and tried to recall what she just dreamt.

"There's Mrs. Malfoy.." she muttered ticking everything she could recall in her fingers. "Then she was crying." She then started pacing in her room and tried to recall more.

"And then there's something about Draco being sick.." she counted. "And I sort of over reacted.. That I ran away..." she stopped, her lips curling into a smirk. It didn't make sense at all. She then concentrated hard to recall how her eerie dream ended and she chuckled softly. "And then I fell.. What a weird dream.." she laughed some more and grabbed her towel. "Wait 'till I tell Draco this.." she muttered as she entered the bathroom, cackling louder than ever.

~*~*~

Draco went inside the castle, not knowing where to go in particular. He didn't want to go to the great hall, scared that he might have another pain attack. He sighed. The thing that happened earlier was a close one and he never want that to happen again. EVER.

He sighed once more and decided that instead of eating in the Great hall, he'll just go to the kitchens, get himself some food and eat in his room. He definitely didn't want another round of questioning. Most especially with Pansy.

He finally reached the painting of fruits, tickled the pear and went inside. He won't be staying there for long. That was one of the places that a Malfoy shouldn't be seen. Draco looked around, it was the second time he had been there and nothing changed a bit. A group of house elves immediately approached and bowed down to him. He merely nodded and the house elves positioned themselves presentably, waiting for Draco tell them what he needed.

"uh.. can any of you bring me food in my room?" he asked, point-blank.

"But we is not allowed to do that, sir," squeaked a house elf at his right. "It is one of the Hogwarts rule. A Hogwarts student is required to eat in the great hall.."

"Just do it, okay?!" he snapped. He was getting irritated. He knew even Dumbledore would allow him to eat there due to his condition.

"Right away, sir.." squeaked a familiar voice in his left. "I is doing what you say right now.." the house elf immediately got a tray and followed his orders.

Draco eyed the house elf for a moment before he realized who it was.. "Dobby.." he said quietly. The house elf looked up and smiled at him. "I is not scared of your family anymore.."

Draco just nodded. "Dobby, can you do that for me everyday? Every meal?"

Dobby looked suspiciously at Draco. "I is not wanting to disappoint my new master, Dumbledore.. he said rules are rules and is never meant to be broken"

Draco rolled his eyes. "Don't worry, I'll tell Dumbledore about it, okay. Just do what I say!!" he then turned around and left the kitchen. His food's probably there in his room by now.

~*~*~

"Hey Crabbe! Where's Draco?" Pansy asked as she glanced around the Great hall. "Have you seen him?"

Crabbe looked around, shrugged, and carried on eating. Pansy sighed. "I guess that's a No." she said quietly while she grabbed a toast. She glanced towards the door. _"Where the hell could he be?"_ she muttered to herself. She then saw Blaise Zabini entering the great hall. "Hey, Blaise!! Hey!!" she called loudly.

Blaise looked around looking for his caller and spotted Pansy waving him towards her. He approached her and sat beside Goyle. "What do you want?" he asked.

"Have you seen Draco?" she asked urgently. "I've been looking for him but no one seems to know where he is,"

Blaise shrugged. "I haven't seen him too." he said.

"Damn.." Pansy sighed heavily. "Where could he be?"

Blaise shrugged again. "Dunno.."

Pansy looked once again at the door. There was something definitely fishy going on. It was like Draco was hiding something from her. There was something, but she didn't know. She could feel it.

"Hey! Pansy!" 

Pansy snapped out of her thoughts and stared at Blaise. "What is it?" she asked.

"What's been happening to Draco?" he asked as he took another bite at his toast. "I know I shouldn't ask, but what is he up to?"

Pansy raised a brow. "What do you mean?"

Blaise put his toast down and lowered his voice. "Don't you think something happened to him? I mean, he never missed the train to Hogwarts before. And don't you think he's rather paler?"

Pansy looked incredulously at him. "But Blaise, Draco is always pale. And beside he said his mother was s-"She stopped.

Blaise looked curiously at her. "Go on... Draco's mother was what?"

Pansy felt a shiver run through her spine. Draco told her his mother was _sick_ but her dream told her otherwise. Does her dream mean something? Something like Draco represents his mother and his mother was Draco? Was that the reason behind her dream?

Blaise waved a hand in front of Pansy's face and shrugged. "Okay. That's right. Ignore the one you're talking to." He rolled his eyes and continued munching his toast, ignoring her as well.

Pansy stood up and grabbed her bag.

"Where are you going?" Blaise asked confused.

"To the library" she said as she got her books on the table.

Blaise looked up, totally startled. "Huh?"

Pansy rolled her eyes. "It's really complicated, okay? So don't ask!" 

Blaise continued to look flabbergasted but she didn't mind him and immediately left for the library.

~*~

Pansy entered the library and felt totally unwelcome. Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw students looked suspiciously at her but she scowled at them, causing them to ignore her and mind their own businesses.

Pansy slowly examined each bookshelf. Pansy sighed. Truth be told, it was only her second time in the library. She wasn't much of a reader. And her first time in the library was way back when she was first year. She went there not because she was going to read or something, but she went there to look for Draco.

She looked around. She felt slightly lost but felt relieved when she saw Madam Pince stocking books in the corner. She cautiously went towards her.

"Umm... Where's the Divination section?" she asked, point-blank.

Madam Pince stopped what she was doing and stared at Pansy for a moment before accompanying her to the Divination section.

They finally reached the far end of the library and were greeted by strong smelling tea leaves. Pansy sneezed and Madame Pince pointed where the Divination books are stocked.

"Everything in this bookshelf is about Divination. The exit to the library is way over there." She pointed at the large door near the first bookshelf.

Madam Pince looked at her again. "I know you don't usually come here but I think you wouldn't be lost." She then moved away and left her alone.

Pansy stared at Madam Pince's receding back for a moment before turning her full attention to the books in front of her. She needed to understand what was happening. She needed to know whether her dream was an omen. She knew there was something... There's definitely something and she vowed to find that out.

~*~

Draco finished eating. He was now sitting on his bed, staring yet again in space. He should have stayed home. In that way, the risk of being seen sick wouldn't be his problem anymore. He got his list out of his pocket. He was definitely running out of time. His life was slipping away from him every second and still, he hasn't started with his list. He sighed. _"Oh well, at least there's still time."_

Draco stood up and went towards the window. He peered outside and remembered yet again the things that happened to him earlier. He can't believe he was almost caught by the least person he wanted to see -- Hermione Granger. 

He sighed. "_Fate must be cruel to me_", Draco thought as he continued to gaze outside his window. _"But then,"_ he thought as a sudden realization struck him, "_Why do_ I _always keep on seeing Granger whenever _I_ wanted to be alone??"_

He was right. He noticed that Granger always turns up whenever he needed time for himself. Like when he was in muggle London, he accidentally bumped into her when he ran away from the hospital. Then that morning, she was there outside the grounds.

_"Is she spying on me?"_ he thought but dismissed the thought almost instantly. _"Granger wouldn't spy on me... She doesn't have a clue on what's happening to me."_ He sighed heavily. He shouldn't problem about Granger anymore. He still has a list to do... and leaving Potter, Weasley and Granger alone was part of it.

He slowly backed away from the window and was about to sit on his bed, when he suddenly remembered to go to library to borrow the book: _Concealing heavy sickness and diseases to the public eye._ It was the book which his other doctors recommended him to use. He got his list which he forgot to put back in his pocket and went his way to the library.

~*~

"There!! _Deciphering dreams_!!" Pansy triumphantly exclaimed.

"Shhh..." A bunch of prefects who were seating nearby, chorally whispered.

"Can't you be more sensitive?" another Ravenclaw student chimed in.

Pansy spun around and raised her brows in a very antagonistic sort of manner. She placed one hand on her waist and flashed her signature smirk.

The prefects who were commenting on Pansy's behavior suddenly stopped dead when they finally saw who she was.

Pansy raised her brows much higher, making her twice as evil as she looked. "What did you say??" Pansy hissed venomously.

The Hufflepuff prefects seemed to have lost their voices because no one spoke. They knew pretty well that no matter what sanction Dumbledore gave Pansy, she will still curse whoever minded her business.

Pansy gave them one last evil glance. "If you ever mind my business again I will surely curse you!" With that, she grabbed her bag and the book, _Deciphering Dreams_ before leaving the library.

~*~

Hermione stared absentmindedly at the last paragraph she wrote in her notebook. She wasn't really sure if she meant what she wrote but, well, she just felt like writing it. She read the paragraph yet again, and the things she wrote down has been echoing in her head... over and over again...

_ Whoever that person is, I will find him... Sick or not, I will take care of him. Because in my heart and in my dream I know I love him. No matter who he is and where he's from... I won't leave him... I will find him..._

"_I will find him..._" Hermione shuddered and closed her metallic notebook shut. She didn't know what to do. She was so damn frustrated and confused. She slowly closed her eyes and breathed in and out to ease her mind.

"Hey! Hermione! Are you alright?"

She opened her eyes slowly and was greeted by Ginny Weasley's worried stare. "You've been like seating here in the Great hall not talking to anybody and not eating anything. Is something bothering you?"

Hermione tried to look cheery, though no matter how she tried, she knew that Ginny wasn't entirely convinced she was fine. 

Hermione stared at Ginny for a moment and before she could think of something to say, her mouth automatically gave an answer. "There's a lot on my mind lately..." Hermione heard herself mutter. "You know school stuff and all."

Ginny looked at her, half expecting that exact answer. 

"But don't worry about me, Ginny. I'm okay." Hermione added.

Ginny just nodded. Even if deep down she knew Hermione wasn't being truthful, she just let it pass. She knew Hermione has this very serious problem, and since she was sensitive enough, she decided to wait for Hermione to open up the topic herself. 

Ginny smiled warmly at Hermione. "Just remember. If you need a good listener, I'll be right here." She muttered sincerely.

Hermione smiled. "Thanks for understanding, Ginny!" 

She smiled widely. "No problem!" Ginny said while grabbing her bag and standing up. "Anyway Herm, I have to go! Herbology is my first subject! I still need to grab a few things! Don't hesitate to call me when you need me! See you later!"

"Okay Ginny! See you later!" Hermione called as she watched Ginny wave at her before exiting the great hall. 

When Ginny was finally out of sight, she then drowned herself with juice before standing up. She glance at her watch, it reads 7:30. Hermione smiled, she still has 30 minutes before the first subject bell rings. Hermione grabbed her metallic notebook and her bag and headed for the library.

~*~

Draco was now sitting at the far end corner of the library, scanning the pages of _ Concealing heavy sickness and diseases to the public eye_. It was just the book he wanted. It was offering almost every help he needed, like how to make a person less pale, how to make bruises disappear and even how to stop someone or ones self from throwing up in public.

Draco closed the book and stared at the book cover. It was a good thing that the book was very light and not too catchy. It looked like a plain hardbound notebook. That's it. 

Draco checked his watch and stood up. He still has 20 minutes to learn the first 2 spells in the book. He hurriedly gathered his things up and went towards the exit in full speed, accidentally colliding with an unsuspecting Gryffindor.

~*~

They both crashed with a sickening crunch. Books and parchments scattered around the place as the two of them tried to break their fall. Draco landed hard on the floor while Hermione fell atop him. Hermione looked sharply to the person below her and was totally miffed.

"What the hell is your problem?" Hermione hissed angrily as she tried to get off her 'attacker'. "Didn't you see me coming in?!"

Draco shoved Hermione off him and started collecting his scattered things. "Look, Granger! I'm in a hurry! It was also your fault, you weren't looking…"

Hermione looked sharply at him and was totally stumped as she realized who she bumped into. "Malfoy! It's you again!"

Draco rolled his eyes. "Whatever, Granger," He picked a blue _metallic_ notebook off the floor and put it inside his bag.

Hermione glared at him and started picking her things up. "I've told you before and I'm telling you again! Next time, please be more careful, okay?"

Draco just shrugged. He wanted to get out of there very badly. And besides, he shouldn't be talking to Granger… He still has a list to do.

Hermione grabbed a blue _hardbound_ notebook and hurriedly inserted it in her bag. She then collected her slightly scrunched up parchments and her quills.

Draco stared at her for a moment. And without thinking, he bent down, grabbed Hermione's things, and then pushed it at her. Hermione just stared at him, totally startled. Without another word, he exited the library.

But what they didn't notice, the books they needed badly… were not in their hands anymore.

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A/N: I'm totally sorry for the late update!!! I forgot my FF.NET password and so it took a really long time to post this. I do hope you understood and enjoyed this chapter. I totally tried my best to make this right… oh well, I might update late due to heavy assignments and stuff. But rest assured, I AM GOING to FINISH THIS! Well, that's it for now.


	9. Discovery

A/N: Thank you for your reviews!!! I'm glad a lot of you guys still liked the story even if I do update late… oh well, finally here's chapter 9… whew! Sorry again for the late updates!! Hope you like this chapter!!

Summary: Draco is dying, he only has a year left to live and no amount of magic can save him. Now Draco promises to change- to make his few months of living filled with laughter instead of tears. Will be D/Hr, sooner or later. R&r please.

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Chapter 9: Discovery

It was exactly 7:30 when Pansy entered their potion classroom. No one was there yet and she was pleased to be the first. The potion classroom was arranged differently than usual. The tables have been scattered and spaced out and surprisingly, all their materials are already in each table.

She sat at her usual desk, scanned the room once more and immediately grabbed _Deciphering dreams_ out of her Bag. She had been dying to know what her eerie dream mean. She opened the book lightly. She checked the index and finally turned to the desired page. 

The lists of dreams were very long. It stretched out from the very first page until the very last. A lot of disturbing images, perhaps it was the picture of the dream, were all popping out of nowhere all through out the book. Pansy finally stared at the list, paused for a short while and started searching for anything that could help her.

She tried to recall her dream and recalled the whirlpool of colors. She scanned the pages and saw what she was looking for. She held the book up and slowly read its content:

122

Whirlpool of colors- a problem that has no hope of recovering; something life-damaging; inescapable; a real nightmare that has no chance of waking up; a point of no return; an illness that has no cure.

Pansy stopped reading and tried to recall more. It can't be. The meaning of the whirlpool of colors just wasn't right. Pansy immediately scanned the pages and searched for something related to falling. She turned the page once more to the letter F and then she found it. She slowly read what was written.

220

Falling inside a whirlpool of fresh colors –the person who dreamt of this is the one that is being warned. The whirlpool of colors [see, p.122] is a sort of nightmare turned reality. If a person dreamt of this, it is a warning that something dreadful will come to the dreamer's way.

Pansy stopped. She was starting to feel the rise of panic. The whole explanation of her dream leads to a thing that she most dreaded about. She didn't want that to happen. She had been through a lot of hard ordeals and if the whole meaning of her dream was true, she definitely wouldn't take it anymore. Pansy then stared at the book again and tried to recall her dream. She'll give it another try. If the book stated that her dream was still something she dreads, well, she'll totally counter it. She scanned the pages one last time and tried to locate something about running away. Her eye was caught by a huge font with bold letters. Pansy's eyes widen with shock. It was exactly what she was looking for… and she totally didn't like the way it looked. She read it slowly.

Running away without the slightest idea where you are heading— This is one of the few dreams that expert decipherers avoid. This is one of the most dreaded dreams. Mostly, people who dreamt about running away usually run from someone who is on the verge of dying. More often than not, the dreamer will have someone they truly love die in the most tragic way. It may also be in an unexpected way, or a slightly twisted event. A great example of a slightly twisted event is wherein someone much closer to the person dying will die in an unforeseen way.

Pansy snapped the book shut. She didn't want to know more. She felt a mixture of fear and nervousness. She really didn't believe in dreams but there was something about the whole running away thing that makes her want to cry. She felt scared, really scared. Her heart was pounding hard on her chest. This definitely felt so wrong.

Pansy closed her eyes and tried to picture everyone she cared and loved. She saw her aunt, her father, her grandparents, her cousin Craig… Pansy opened her eyes. Her heart was beating rapidly hard when a sudden insight came to mind. "Oh God… please let it not be _Draco_…"

If there's a person she truly loved with all her heart, it was none other than Draco. Pansy felt like crying. She wasn't sure if it really was him but well, the idea of a dying Draco was something she totally didn't want to witness. She'd rather die.

Pansy put _Deciphering Dreams_ in her bag. She shouldn't have looked her dream up. Pansy closed her eyes once again when another realization struck her.

"Something happened to Draco…"

Those words suddenly echoed through her mind. It was the exact words Mrs. Malfoy had said in her dream.

"He's sick… and there's no cure…"

"Oh my God… No!!" Pansy muttered and her whole being was starting to panic. Pansy opened her eyes, people started to flood in the dungeons. Their class was about to start. Pansy stood up and grabbed her bag. 

"And the doctors said he has 1 year left to live... or maybe shorter…"

Pansy immediately exited the dungeons and started to quicken her pace. It can't be. It just can't be. It must be a joke. Her dream and the meaning of her dream all makes sense. 

"_I thought so too that its not possible.. but it is.. and it's happening.."_

Pansy felt like crying. She needs to talk to their divination teacher, Professor Trelawney. She might help her. She ran as fast as she could. A part of her didn't want to believe, but the other half knew that it could be true…

Pansy turned to the corner and started climbing the stairs. _"Don't let this be true._" She prayed softly. _"It just can't be._" 

~*~

Hermione silently sat on one of the chairs in the library. Floods of thought surged her brain. She just couldn't understand why the hell Malfoy helped her. Truth be told, it was the 2nd time he did that. Hermione noticed that Malfoy wasn't his self lately and she definitely noticed a lot of changes. Like for example, helping her up, and well, not calling her a mudblood.

It was all too new to her. Malfoy minding his own business seems to be a dream come true. But then again, when Hermione thought about it, she knew something was up. There's definitely one huge reason behind all these.

Hermione sighed and grabbed her notebook. She promised Lavender that she'll have the notebook at around lunchtime and after that, she thought, she'll be worried free. She opened her notebook and was startled to see a lot of moving images. It has a lot of spells, some are in Latin and every single word is really tiny. Hermione closed the book and stared at the slightly unreadable title, _Concealing heavy sickness and diseases to the public eye_.

"This is not mine…" she muttered softly as she calmly searched her bag for her notebook. "How did this book get in here?" 

She spilled her bag's content on the table. There were books and parchments, bottle of ink and quills, her schedule and a small bowstring bag of money was the only thing in there. There was no sign of her blue metallic notebook.

"Oh God… Where is it?"

Hermione could feel the growth of panic. She knew she had the notebook when she went down from her dorm, and she knew she placed it in her bag on the way to the library. She was now worried, the entire notebook's content was quite confidential… Even Harry and Ron didn't know about it.

Hermione hurriedly placed her things in her bag and tried to recall where her notebook could be. She tried to picture every place she went and tried ticking it all with her fingers. 

"I went outside earlier this morning… And then I went to the great hall and talked to Ginny for a moment…" She paused to recall more. "And then I went up to the library and bumped into Malfoy…" She stopped. She could picture it perfectly now. As she was entering the library, she could vividly remember seeing Malfoy running out the door holding a book.

"And I accidentally grabbed his book instead of mine…"

Hermione held the book in her chest. Her heart was pounding awfully hard now. She knew pretty well that knowing Malfoy; he will spread her secrets out and tell everyone about her dreams once he realized that she got her notebook by mistake.

"He might blackmail me…" she muttered slowly. _"And worse… he won't make me forget the dream…"_

Hermione hurriedly stood up. She has to find Malfoy… and quick.

~*~*~

Pansy had finally reached the top step. She could see the ladder leading to the divination classroom and without hesitation, she quicken her steps and climbed the ladder.

She reached the Divination classroom and was surprised to see no one there. There was no trace of Professor Trelawney. Pansy groaned, frustrated. She sat at one of the chair in there. She felt angry. This thing was definitely driving her crazy and the person she needed the most at the moment wasn't there.

She slowly scanned the room. There must be something in there that might help her. There has to be. She sighed heavily and stood up. She placed her things on one of the tables and approached her professor's seer devices located in the left side of the room.

The devices were slightly scattered around and was really messy. Pansy raised her brows in that same antagonistic manner she used earlier, and cautiously approached each gadget that was there.

There was the usual crystal ball, used of course for seeing what future lies before the person who uses it. There was also a fortune reader device which distinctively looked like a cut off hand. Pansy eyed the thing curiously. Whether it was a real hand or an artificial look-a-like, she didn't know.

She moved to the other side and saw another crystal ball, but it was definitely different than the first one she saw. This time, this ball was black and was held by an eagle's claw as its stand. Pansy moved closer to read what the device was called, _Reverie decoder_.

"Reverie decoder," she repeated silently. "What the hell does this thing do?"

She grabbed a chair and positioned it in front of the _Reverie decoder_ thing and read what the device can do.

Reverie (dream) decoder

This is a decipherer device used for viewing ones dream and at the same time, interpret what the whole dream mean.

Caution: Some dreams can be quite disturbing and can bring real nightmares to the one using this device.

Pansy's heart was pounding awfully hard now. This was it. This was what she needed. With shaky hands, she touched the crystal ball and it instantly emitted a blast of gold light…

And what she saw next was the one thing she dreaded the most…

~*~*~

Draco hurriedly placed his things on his bed, sat down and immediately opened the book he was holding.

He wanted to learn the not-throwing-up-in-public part very badly. He scanned the pages and stared at it curiously, there was not even one moving diagram in there.

"What the hell…" 

Draco closed the book and instantly noticed that this was definitely not his. He tossed the book on his bed and grabbed his bag. He hastily checked his bag for his book, but it was nowhere to be seen.

Draco stopped for a moment and eyed the blue metallic book. He couldn't quite remember how the hell he got it. He sighed and snatched the book from the bed and opened it.

_**I don't know if I can ever forget this dream. But I am hoping that whoever this guy is, please, I hope… he will not die.**_

Draco's heart skipped a beat. Whether it was because of the word die, or whatever, he didn't know. He immediately stood up and went over his desk. He was getting slightly tensed. He took a deep breathe and continue reading.

**_I couldn't see his face, but I know whoever he is… I really loved him deeply._**

_**The dream started in a weird way. I was sitting all by myself wearing a white dress. Everyone I knew was there and they were all telling me how sorry they were and all that. They were all holding white roses while I was the only one who was holding a red rose.**_

_**We were in a funeral. The funeral of the guy I really, really loved.**_

_**It was the day of our final goodbye. And I couldn't bring myself to say goodbye to him. And the weird thing about the whole thing is that when I finally said my final goodbye, Harry and Ron were pulling me away from the coffin.**_

"Harry and Ron…" Draco said quietly. "Wait a minute… so this means…"

He can remember now, when he was about to exit the library, He bumped into Granger and he could clearly remember her holding this journal. This is definitely Granger's. He stared at the notebook yet again and read on.

**_I woke up after that, but I couldn't quite forget the feeling. It was like my heart was actually pounding painfully hard and I couldn't breathe because of the pain. It felt so real, and I was actually crying in my sleep. _ **

**_Oh! And there was something else… in my dream; I was also wearing a simple yet very beautiful silver necklace. A necklace with a very distinct pendant, it was a sword, shaped like a lightning._**

Draco immediately snapped the notebook shut. This time, he was really shaken. He didn't know what to think now. He slowly reached his neck and fingered his necklace; it was exactly how Granger had described it. It has a beautiful silver chain and in it was a lightning-shaped sword pendant.

"Can it be that I was the one who's dead?" He muttered to himself.

Draco shook his head. "_It can't be. Granger said she loved the guy deeply… But then again,_ "he thought, "I _am the only one in the world who has this kind of necklace and I AM dying…_"

He stared at the notebook one last time; he'd better read all of this… There was lots of coincidence in Granger's dream that even he can't understand.

There was a sudden knock on his door. Draco immediately stood up and hid the book in his desk. He slowly went towards the door and opened it. He immediately could feel his whole body numbing; he knew she'd figured it out.

Because in the door was Pansy… and she was crying.

A/N: Sorry people got to stop here… I am really getting dizzy…. Whoohoo… the plot thickens… Did you like it? Well... sorry for all grammatical and spelling mistakes 'coz I'm too lazy to edit this all. Well anyway, even if you don't like it… FLAMES are still not accepted. xD and so there… that was chapter 9… REVIEW please!

Thanks by the way to those who emailed me to you know, remind me to continue this. :D

for suggestions and whatsoever: email me: lizccl@yahoo.com


	10. Assumptions

A/N: THANK YOU very much for all your emails and wonderful reviews! I really appreciate every single one I receive! So there, I'm done… I won't take so much of your time. Here's chapter 10… (finally!)

One more thing, this story was written way before order of the phoenix and the half-blood prince so some of you might think that the plot is inconsistent with those two. So there… you've been warned.

Disclaimer: Characters – JK. Plot – mine!

Summary: Draco is dying, he only has a year left to live and no amount of magic can save him. Now Draco promises to change- to make his few months of living filled with laughter instead of tears. Will be D/Hr, sooner or later. R&r please.

* * *

**Chapter 10: Assumptions**

"Class dismissed!"

First period was finally over. Ruffling of chairs and various footsteps can be heard all through out the dungeons as Professor Snape miraculously (to every ones delight) dismissed the class early because of something he needed to finish.

Hermione, who had been staring in space for a long, long time immediately snapped out of her thoughts, grabbed her bag hurriedly, and immediately stepped out of the room without even glancing at anyone on her way out.

Harry and Ron both stopped and stared at Hermione's receding back. They both looked stumped.

"I can't believe she left us!" Ron blurted out suddenly.

Harry thought it was odd. There was something bothering Hermione. He could sense it. Knowing Hermione, she wouldn't consult anyone until things gets too much.

"I wonder what's bothering her…" Harry muttered, concerned, as he grabbed his things from the table.

"She's been spacing out a lot" Ron observed. "All I know, she's been that way the whole time on the train."

"Do you think something happened to her at home?" Harry asked as both he and Ron exited the potions classroom.

"I don't know" Ron looked worried for a moment. "Maybe, and she doesn't want us to know."

* * *

Hermione was starting to panic. Draco didn't appear in potions, which meant that he was somewhere else holding her precious notebook as captive, most probably reading her dream.

"Dammit, Malfoy!" Hermione cursed under her breath. "Where the hell could you be?"

She briskly walked her way towards the unfamiliar corridors of Hogwarts, hoping that she will bump into him again. She stopped for a while and slapped her head with her fist. She was acting stupidly. _I should be in one specific place only_, she thought. _Malfoy will surely look for me because I have his book._

Hermione sighed and decided to stay in the Library. If there was one place he'll most likely have searched, it was the library.

* * *

Draco gripped the door knob tightly, his throat too tight to speak. He didn't know how to react.

Pansy was still crying and both of them just stood there at the door, unmoving. She still couldn't stop herself from crying after what she saw in the tower. She could still picture the whole thing clearly in her mind. Him coughing blood, him dying, his funeral… it was too much.

Draco sighed heavily and patted Pansy on the shoulder. "Don't cry, Pansy. There's nothing we can do about it." He muttered coldly, yet silently. "Even my mum knows that."

Pansy looked up; another round of tears fell from her eyes. "Draco, there must be something. There MUST be something to cure you."

Draco opened the door for her and he sat on his bed looking cold and distant. There's no point in arguing with her. He knew she'll eventually take the whole matter in her hands and will do anything in her power to make him well again. Pansy was plain persistent and no one… not even him could stop her once she decided on it.

"How much…" Pansy started, but she couldn't continue. She tried again and this time, slowly but surely. "How… much… time-"

Draco cut her off. "3-4 months" he answered pointblank. "-or maybe shorter, I don't know."

Pansy slowly closed the door behind her and leaned on it. She was trying her best not to collapse. The things she was hearing, the pictures flashing in her mind, the things he was saying to her… it was like eating her up slowly.

"Don't tell this to anyone." Draco said suddenly, his eyes not leaving hers. "I'm serious." He added unkindly.

Pansy nodded. She wouldn't dare spread the news. She would kill anyone who'd have a good gloat about this. She would kill for Draco. She would even die for him. "I promise." She said.

With that said, Pansy's knees suddenly gave away and she slid off the door. She couldn't stand still anymore. She was now on the floor. Staring at the guy she truly loved.

He looked away from her and turned his back on her. "Now we're done talking. You can leave my room now." He said coldly.

Pansy slowly stood up and opened the door; she then looked at his back with defiant determination. "You will get well, Draco." She said clearly. "I'll make sure you will."

She then turned around closed his door and slowly went to her dorm room. When she finally reached her room, she closed the door and like what happened in Draco's room, she slid off her door, crying like there's no tomorrow.

* * *

Hermione tapped the table of the library impatiently, earning her angry glances from Madam Pince. Hermione slowly raised her hand and muttered a silent apology at her and then transferred to another table near the door.

She sighed heavily, feeling overly frustrated. She slowly grabbed her bag and got Draco's hardbound book out. She let her hand ran down the cover of the book and very slowly scanned the pages, wondering inwardly why the hell

Malfoy was reading it. It showed different techniques on how to cover up unavoidable sickness like throwing up, headaches and the likes.

"_Malfoy is so weird"_ she muttered silently to herself. _"He's borrowing this book as if he has some sort of cancer or something"_

She closed the book shut and glanced at the door. She felt thoroughly worried. She knew he'd come and yet… He still wasn't there. She checked her watch and glanced desperately at the door once more. "Please give it back, please give it back…" She sighed heavily this time. "Please give it back, Malfoy…"

"Please…" she muttered silently to herself.

* * *

Draco was now lying in bed, his hands delicately placed in front of his eyes, as if protecting it from the glowing lights of his room. Visions of what transpired minutes earlier kept flashing dangerously in Draco's mind like a flash back movie. He wished Pansy never knew… he wished she never found out anything.

"But she did." The words slipped out unintentionally in his mouth. "She really caught me out of guard this time." He groaned inwardly and suddenly sat up straight. "Why do you always have to know everything, Pansy?" he asked, frustrated.

"_You will get well, Draco. I'll make sure you will"_

Draco slowly smacked his head, trying to clear off his little mental debate out of his head. He sighed and caught a glimpse of Hermione's notebook in his cabinet. Without giving it a second thought, he slowly reached for it and opened one particular page and read its content silently.

He scanned the first two pages and found how boring it was. He skipped a few pages until suddenly a very unlikely paragraph caught his attention.

_The next dream I'm going to share is the most heartbreaking of all. This dream still lingers whenever I am alone and it brings tears to my eyes for reasons I can never explain. I know these dreams aren't real._

_I am hoping and praying that these dreams are not real._

_For this particular dream, the person I've been dreaming of and the guy who I love so much, died in my arms. It was painful to experience such brokenness. I felt helpless because I know I can never help him._

_I cried a lot. I felt such unbearable pain like it was torturing me to surrender. I loved him against all the agony that was headed towards me._

_And yet…_

_I still don't know him. I can't remember his face._

_Some may say that what I did in the dream was the stupidest thing I ever did. Maybe they're right. But I don't care… for in that dream I felt secured seeing that person breathe the air as if savoring every second._

_And despite the condition of that person and the pain I knew I was going to feel… I knew I was right in choosing him. Because in the look of that guy's face, despite the fact that I can't remember him now, I know he needed what I was giving him._

_I knew it from the moment I was in the dream that that guy needed my love more than any other person in the world._

_And if ever I meet him… I wouldn't be ashamed to love him._

_I will love him as if dying is just a normal day-to-day routine._

_Love him as if there'll be no pain._

_Love him without receiving anything in return._

Draco stared at the page for a long time before flipping the pages to see if there was more. A small piece of parchment fell from the last empty page of the notebook and he delicately picked the note up.

_To Lavender and Parvati:_

_Sorry if I was being over-sentimental. I can't help it. Anyway, guard this with your life, okay? Keep this diary of dreams a secret. Thanks._

_Hermione_

Draco stopped reading. He then placed the note exactly where he found it and closed the book shut. He smoothed the surface of the book before placing it gently in his bed. He didn't know what came over him but then he felt a twinge of sadness over what he just read. He sighed and got up. Draco knew deep inside that he needed someone like her to love him and yet thinking about it literally was a very unbelievable idea.

He stared in space for a long time, thinking whether it was indeed unbelievable when a sudden thought paralyzed him in the spot.

_Find someone who'll love me…_

He stared back at the notebook and Hermione's words echoed in his head.

_And if ever I meet him… I wouldn't be ashamed to love him._

He closed his eyes and tried not to listen to the voices in his head. For some weird reason, he wanted to know more about this guy she was referring to. He slowly reached for the notebook and opened it on the same page. He skimmed the page until he reached the part where he left of:

_Oh! And there was something else… in my dream; I was also wearing this simple yet very beautiful silver necklace. It is a necklace with a very distinct pendant: it was a sword, shaped like lightning._

Draco gasped and dropped the notebook in surprise. He shuddered, and unconsciously touched his silver necklace; his heart was pounding hard in his chest. He couldn't understand how somebody can describe something no one knew existed?

Draco slowly removed his necklace and stared at it for a minute. It was as she describes it, a sword shaped like lightning. It was a family heirloom and only the first-born Malfoy of every generation can wear it. It was sad to think that he will be the last Malfoy to wear it.

He sighed deeply. His heart was still pounding hard on his chest. Could it be coincidence? The last deed in his list was still echoing repeatedly in his head like a haunting memory.

_Find someone who'll love me…_

Draco closed his eyes wondering whether Hermione was actually the one he was looking for. _"Could it be her?"_he questioned, doubting.

He sighed again and positioned himself on the edge of his bed. He slowly bent down to get the notebook from the floor, before gently opening it to the page where she described his necklace.

He took a deep breath, and without even thinking about it, placed his silver necklace in between the pages of the notebook before closing it tightly shut.

"Well" he muttered silently to himself. "Let's see what happens next,"

And with that, He stood up and slowly went out of his dormitory, his necklace secured tightly beneath the pages of the notebook, with Draco holding it tightly, planning to give the metallic notebook back to its original owner.

* * *

A/N: DONE! Chapter 10 is done! I hope you liked it.

Sorry again for the delay. Review please! Your feedback really means a lot to me. No flames as usual.

Sorry for grammatical errors and all that. English is not my native tongue. I'm kinda struggling here.

Leave me a REVIEW!


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